DESPITE a two-year delay blamed on a funding black hole of up to $1.1 billion, local politicians and the Bendigo Business Council have hailed the go-ahead for the Regional Rail Link.But the Public Transport Users’ Association says the delay to the $5 billion project should allow an independent review to fix faults in the project.Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder said the project would be completed two years late, in 2016, after Treasury revealed a budget shortfall of $700 million to $1.1 billion and the deferral of a $500 million federal contribution.Under the plan, initiated by Labor, a dedicated rail line will help Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong rail passengers bypass slower suburban services.Nationals Northern Victoria MP Damian Drum said the budget blowout was “a horrendous bit of governance” but he welcomed the green light.“It’s a great project and it will help us to deliver more punctual services and help travellers get into Melbourne on time,” he said.Bendigo East Labor MP Jacinta Allan said people power forced the Coalition “kicking and screaming” to complete the project, adding the black hole claim was difficult to understand because most of the work had not yet gone to tender.“The government has been sent a very strong message by the people of central Victoria that they want the government to complete the regional rail project,” she said.PTUA regional spokesman Paul Westcott said he was disappointed faults in the plan, such as a failure to provide a new platform at North Melbourne for country passengers transferring to other services, would not be addressed.He said the project should be reviewed by the independent public transport authority promised by the government.Bendigo Business Council executive officer Kevin de Vries said the link “will provide opportunities for growth of regional cities such as Bendigo, Castlemaine, Ballarat and Geelong”.