Hybrid trains touted as a solution to west Melbourne's transport woes

The Victorian Liberals are promising new hybrid trains for commuters in Melbourne's booming west, as a newly upgraded station at Melton opens today.

If elected in November, the Coalition is promising $1.7 billion for 25 new hybrid diesel-electric trains on the Melton and Wyndham Vale lines.

The lines are currently served by smaller V-Line trains, with local communities waiting for promised electrification of the line to run larger, more frequent Metro services.

The state government said it would run higher-capacity V-Line trains on the Melton line from next year, while it finishes investigating electrification.

Former premier Daniel Andrews promised to separate and electrify train lines to Wyndham Vale and Melton in 2018.

Shadow Transport Minister Matthew Guy said it was taking too long and that hybrid trains could already use the existing line.

"We believe hybrid suburban trains is the fastest, quickest, and cheapest way to solve the problem of getting the Melton and Wyndham Vale lines electrified," he said.

"Or at least getting suburban trains to where people need them."

Mr Guy said hybrid trains would also have even bigger capacity and the potential to travel through the City Loop.

"The nine car V-Line trains the government are announcing is just substandard surface," he said. 

"They're country trains going into Australia's fastest growing growth corridor. We believe there should be suburban trains for suburban people."

Upgraded Melton station

The newly upgraded Melton train station opens today, but residents said more improved public transport infrastructure was needed for the area's booming population.

Melton is the fastest-growing area in Australia, with an average of 38 new residents a day over 2024-25 according to the local council.

The new elevated train station has longer platforms to allow for more V/Line carriages from next year, to accommodate more passengers.

Mt Atkinson resident Jaksha Shah said residents have long been waiting for the line to be electrified so trains can run more often, and for new train stations to be built in growing suburbs at Mt Atkinson and Thornhill Park.

"What was the future I bought into and what is the reality I am living in?" she said.

"I bought into a future where there was going to be a Mt Atkinson Westfield mall, a train station, walking from my home because I live 700 metres from the actual train line."

Hybrid trains versus 'permanent solutions'

Infrastructure Victoria said hybrid trains were already operating in some areas of Europe, but that it would not be the best long term solution for Melbourne's west.

"Our independent advice is that in the medium to long term electrification of the line to Melton will certainly help integrate it better and run more frequent services more reliably," chief executive Jonathan Spear said.

"Trains are only part of the challenge," he said.

"We would both need to have more tracks, especially to duplicate the track between Sunshine and Melton, and we would need to build new stations.

"We would also need to invest in the fleet to run on them."

Dr Spear said while Infrastructure Victoria hasn't done a "head-to-head" comparison of the hybrid proposal versus the "permanent" electrification solution, there was clearly an urgent need for solutions as the western communities grew. 

He said they had estimated the permanent solution would cost between $4 billion and $5 billion.

"[That's] to do the electrification to Melton, the duplication of the tracks, the new stations and the new trains," he said.

"For every dollar we would spend on that, the community would get $2 back — so that's a good investment.

"Even with the current commitment to build the Suburban Rail Loop, we think it would be affordable."