More of Melbourne’s dangerous and congested death traps are set to go, with the Victorian Government pledging to make the Werribee Line level crossing free – paving the way for more trains to the west, more often.
Since 2016, four level crossings on the Werribee Line have been removed. Now the remaining crossing will be removed by 2030:
- Hudsons Road, Spotswood
- Maddox Road, Newport
- Maidstone Street, Altona
More than 27,000 vehicles cross the tracks at these three crossings daily, with the boom gates down for up to 52 minutes in the two-hour morning peak, when around 48 trains run through.
With the Metro Tunnel on track to open a year early in 2025, this will free up even more space for more trains on the Werribee line – and Geelong Fast Rail will also use this corridor.
In 2014, the Government promised to remove 50 level crossings by 2022 – an election commitment built on in 2018 when the target was raised to 75 by 2025.
The Werribee removals means 110 dangerous and congested level crossings will be gone by the end of the decade.
Commuters in Spotswood will benefit from a brand-new train station, giving them the most modern and accessible facilities – rejuvenating the station precinct for locals and creating safer and more direct links between public transport, local shops and parking.
Early assessments indicate the level crossing at Hudsons Road, Spotswood is likely to be removed by building an elevated rail bridge.
At Maidstone Street, a road bridge will be built to avoid disrupting important utilities and maintain connections for this industrial area.
Two level crossings will be closed as part of the project, at Anderson Street, Yarraville, and Champion Road, Newport.
Anderson Street in Yarraville is one of the most dangerous level crossings in Victoria. It has been the site of a tragic fatality, alongside numerous injuries and near misses.
Replacing the level crossing with a rail bridge or trench is not feasible due to the tightness of the rail corridor, significant heritage impacts and the nearby Somerville Road overpass and Francis Street underpass impeding grade separation designs.
The Level Crossing Authority will work with the community to enhance the precinct, ensuring the thousands of pedestrians crossing the line each day can move around safely, through a wide and well-lit underpass, and the level crossing will be closed.
Upgrades to the local road network will allow the level crossing at Champion Road, Newport to be closed, with vehicles able to cross the rail line at nearby Maddox Road, where an elevated rail bridge will be built to remove the level crossing.
A new grade-separated pedestrian crossing will be built at Champion Road, linking to local paths. The local road network will be modified to improve connections between Maddox and Champion Roads.
Removing these dangerous and congested level crossings on the Werribee line will be an important step in getting on with Geelong Fast Rail.