Premier

Free Tram Zone Extended For Major Events During Blitz

07 May 2018

The Andrews Labor Government is extending the Free Tram Zone (FTZ) to get crowds to Melbourne’s major events, as work ramps up on major infrastructure projects over June.

Melbourne’s popular FTZ will be extended to stops near the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to make it simpler for fans to get from the city to ‘Dreamtime at the G’, the NRL State of Origin and other major events, free of charge.

On weekends from 2 June to 17 June, the FTZ will be extended to tram stops 9, 10 and 11 on Wellington Parade near the MCG. The extended FTZ also will be in operation for the NRL State of Origin on Wednesday 6 June and the Queen’s Birthday clash with Collingwood taking on Melbourne at the MCG.

The extended FTZ will be in place while a program of rail and road works is carried out across the network.

A major construction blitz on the Cranbourne/Pakenham line from 29 May to 17 June will remove the final four level crossings between Caulfield and Dandenong, open new stations at Murrumbeena and Carnegie, as well as undertake critical signalling and infrastructure work.

Buses will replace trains between Caulfield and Westall. Coaches will also replace trains for part or the entire journey on the Gippsland line. Construction workers will make use of this Cranbourne/Pakenham line rail closure to continue work on a massive infrastructure and signalling upgrade around Caulfield Junction.

These works will make journeys more reliable and pave the way for High Capacity Metro Trains to run in the future. Buses replace trains from Flinders Street to Westall and Moorabbin on the first two weekends in June.

Level crossing works at Carrum, Skye/Overton Road and Frankston Station kicked off last week with busesto replace trains between Carrum, Frankston and Stony Point until 17 June. Smaller shuts of one or two days will take place on the Belgrave, Hurstbridge and Lilydale lines during the construction blitz.

V/Line will complete major track, signal and station maintenance work on the Geelong line from 8 to 12 June and on the Warrnambool line from 8 to 14 June. Work on the Ballarat Line Upgrade will also continue on 16-20 June.

Passengers will need to allow additional travel time as tram improvement works take place on tram routes 1, 6, 19 and 86. Ongoing traffic management, ramp and lane closures for road improvement works continue on the West Gate Freeway, Hoddle Street, CityLink and Monash Freeway.

Road and public transport users are urged to rethink their travel plans, avoid areas if possible, and allow more time for their journey. For disruption information and to find your Plan B travel option visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au.

The Free Tram Zone extension is valid on weekends from first service on Saturdays to last service on Sundays (from 2 – 17 June) and one additional weekday, 6 June, from 4:00pm to last service.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan

“We’re building tracks, removing level crossings and upgrading signalling to get Victorians home safer and sooner.”

“The Free Tram Zone extension will help people get to major events while this vital construction blitz is underway.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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