Designs of a new $100 million station to service Melbourne’s first underground train station in 25 years are today revealed.

The under-city rail plan launched today will be capable of moving 12,000 people every hour and includes a new station at Parkville to connect the hospital and university sector.

The link will allow an additional 14 trains every hour on the Craigieburn, Sunbury, Werribee, Williamstown and Upfield lines.

Premier John Brumby revealed concept designs for the stations today and said that soil and engineering testing works could start before the end of the year.

The $4.5 billion project, as park of the $38 billion Victorian Transport Plan, will add capacity for thousands more passengers and shape the future growth of the CBD and inner Melbourne, Brumby said.

“Stage 1 of the Melbourne Metro will run from Dynon to Domain (St Kilda Road) and today I am announcing that we are seeking engineers and technical designers to examine the possible alignment of the new rail tunnel,” he said.

The proposed Parkville station would serve the thousands of tertiary students and heath care workers in the area and provide a seamless link from the inner west to the St Kilda Road precinct.

Stations could also be constructed or redeveloped between Footscray and Parkville, the CBD, South Melbourne and Domain, he said.

“This project will not only add capacity on our rail network, it will help shape and define inner Melbourne, expanding the reach of the CBD, creating jobs and revitalising the inner west.”

Public transport minister Lynne Kosky said the call for tenders signaled another step in the transformation of Melbourne’s rail network.

“We are planning for the future and work is already underway to change our suburban train system to a modern, metro, mass transit train network,” Kosky said.

Construction on Melbourne Metro is expected to start in 2012 and the Victorian government will be seeking Commonwealth funding for the more than $4.5 billion project.

Gemma Battenbough

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