The Andrews Labor Government will deliver more trains, more often on three metropolitan lines while it gets on with removing the remaining level crossings between Caulfield and Dandenong.
The Labor Government is undertaking the biggest public transport overhaul in Victoria’s history and with previous infrastructure investments now close to completion, more train services have been funded in the Victorian Budget 2018/19 to roll out on our new rail tracks.
Turn-up-and-go services every ten minutes will be extended between Dandenong and the city line from 7:00pm to 10:00pm, once every dangerous and congested level crossing between Caulfield and Dandenong is removed.
A major construction blitz from 29 May to 17 June will remove the final four level crossings along the Dandenong corridor, as well as undertake critical signalling and infrastructure work.
During this time, buses will replace trains on sections of the Cranbourne, and Pakenham lines. On Monday 18 June, trains will be running on the last section of elevated rail.
Two brand new stations at Murrumbeena and Carnegie will open to passengers and four more level crossings at Murrumbeena Road, Grange Road, Poath Road and Koornang Road will be gone for good – fulfilling the Labor Government’s election commitment to remove every level crossing between Caulfield and Dandenong.
Work on the new Hughesdale Station will continue until later this year.
The Labor Government will also provide additional services on the Hurstbridge and Mernda lines when the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade and Mernda Rail Extension are complete later this year.
The completion of the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade Stage 1 and the removal of two level crossings will see the introduction of two extra services every weekday from August, on top of the four extra peak services introduced in 2017. Planning work also continues on the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade Stage 2.
The extension of the line to Mernda is ahead of schedule so the Government is also bringing forward the extra services required.
The Government will deliver five new services in the morning and four in the evening once the Mernda extension is complete. And there will be 980 services each week extended from South Morang to Mernda.
The new timetable incorporating these increased services will be available later this year.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan
“We’re delivering the services passengers need now and building for the future – removing level crossings, delivering new trains, extra services, and delivering the Metro tunnel.”
“At the end of the June construction blitz, every level crossing between Caulfield and Dandenong will be gone, fulfilling another election commitment.”
“We’re getting on with the job of delivering better public transport for every Victorian, wherever you live.”
Reviewed 26 June 2020