Train testing on Melbourne’s $14 billion Metro Tunnel could be stopped if nearby hospitals need access to lifesaving equipment.
Due to its proximity to the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre and the Royal Melbourne Hospital, there are concerns the tunnel’s electromagnetic fields will interfere with medical equipment.
The state government may need to build shields or limit the amount of electrical current the trains need in the long term.
Since July, test trains have only been running during agreed periods of the day to avoid clashes with the use of equipment, such as MRIs.
Questions remain about long-term mitigation plans ahead of more intense testing, and a scheduled tunnel opening in 2025.
