Work has now begun to remove two dangerous and congested level crossings, duplicate the track and run more trains, more often on the Hurstbridge line.
Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan joined Member for Ivanhoe Anthony Carbines in Heidelberg today, where work to build a second track to Rosanna has begun.
The second track will remove the notorious section of single track between Heidelberg and Rosanna that causes delays and stops new services being added to the busy line.
The Andrews Labor Government project will also remove two dangerous and congested level crossings – at Grange Road in Alphington and Lower Plenty Road in Rosanna – and build a brand new Rosanna Station.
These level crossings are among Melbourne’s worst, with boom-gates at both sites down for around 40 minutes in the morning peak – causing delay, distress and frustration for thousands of motorists every day.
Removing the crossings will reduce congestion, improve safety and – with the duplication of the line between Heidelberg and Rosanna – create space for more trains, more often right along the Hurstbridge line.
The $395 million project will support around 1,000 jobs during peak construction, including more than 30 apprentices and trainees over the life of the project.
Over the coming weeks, construction crews will establish work sites, remove vegetation and relocate underground services. To enable this work, buses will replace trains between Greensborough and Clifton Hill from 8:00pm tomorrow until the last service on Sunday 19 March. Buses will also replace trains from 21-24 April.
The Hurstbridge line upgrade will be complete by 2019. For more information, visit levelcrossings.vic.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan
“We’re delivering more frequent and reliable trains right along the Hurstbridge line and work starts now.”
“Dangerous and congested level crossings and sections of single-track don’t belong on a modern train network. They’re relics of the past and we’re getting rid of them.”
Quote attributable to Member for Ivanhoe Anthony Carbines
“We said we’d remove these level crossings and run more trains – we’re keeping our promise and getting it done.”
Quote attributable to Member for Northcote Fiona Richardson
“This massive upgrade will remove one of Melbourne’s worst traffic chokepoints on Grange Road and create space for more frequent services on the Hurstbridge line.”
Quote attributable to Member for Eltham Vicki Ward
“Removing these bottlenecks will have benefits all along the line. We’ll get more services from Eltham and Hurstbridge, as we said we’d do. We’re not only getting on with it, we’re getting it done”.