Carisbrook engineer Noel Laidlaw says his firm has looked at the figures of reviving rail services and believed it could be done for a lot less money than initial estimates.

A Public Transport Victoria study found it would cost between $760 million and $935 million to return passenger rail between Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo.

Mr Laidlaw said that under his plan it could be built for a total of $95 million. He described the government estimates as “astronomical” and said there were significant elements of the study that could be removed or made cheaper without affecting the end product.

Under his “more modest” proposal he said he would scrap plans for trains travelling 160km/hr and replace them with a more affordable scheme of trains running at 100km/h.

“If a different model was applied the cost savings would be enormous and yet the traveling public would end up with a very efficient and comfortable train service,” he said.

“There are some costs quoted for specific projects that are highly inflated and out of step with currently accepted engineering and construction costs.”

Mr Laidlaw said he had presented the draft to the transport minister.

“It’s important to put the other point of view to him,” he said.

“I see it as a really vital bit of investment. It would be a major shot in the arm for regional development, decentralisation and regional tourism.”

Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan believed it would be difficult to see a rail link complete.

“The reality is the Liberal-National government were never really considering the rail link between Bendigo and Geelong,” she said. 

“The feasibility study was just a throwaway comment. It’s yielded very little.” 

Mr Laidlaw said if work started today on his alternative rail proposal the construction could be finished within about 18 months.

Public Transport Terry Mulder did not respond to requests for comment.