Around the clock works will go ahead at two of the Ballarat and Geelong lines' most congested level crossings, with two giant crossbeams to be lifted into place at Fitzgerald Road, Ardeer this month.
From 9pm on Thursday 15 July to Sunday 25 July, crews will carry out major works at Fitzgerald Road and Robinsons Road, Deer Park level crossing removal sites.
This will allow for the massive beams that will support the Fitzgerald Road bridge to be lifted into place and track excavations, drainage works and the relocation of utilities at both sites.
As these works are carried out there will be impacts for train passengers and road users including pedestrians and cyclists.
Coaches will replace trains on sections the Geelong, Warrnambool, Ballarat, Ararat and Maryborough lines during the disruption, including:
Geelong Line:
- Train services will run between Waurn Ponds and Wyndham Vale, connecting with coaches between Wyndham Vale and Southern Cross.
- Selected morning and evening peak services will run between Waurn Ponds and Werribee, connecting with Metro Trains services between Werribee and Southern Cross.
Tarneit Railway Station:
- Shuttle buses will run between Tarneit and Werribee Station connecting with Metro Trains services between Werribee and Southern Cross.
- Stopping all stations coaches will still call at Tarneit for passengers travelling to or from other Geelong line stations.
Warrnambool Line:
- Trains will run between Warrnambool and Geelong, with coaches replacing trains between Geelong and Southern Cross.
Ballarat, Ararat and Maryborough lines:
- Coaches will replace trains between Melton and Southern Cross, with trains running between Melton and Ballarat, Ararat and Maryborough.
Footscray and Sunshine stations:
- Replacement coaches will not stop at Footscray or Sunshine Stations.
- Footscray passengers can catch a replacement coach between regional Victoria and Southern Cross Station, connecting with a Metro Trains service between Southern Cross and Footscray
- Sunshine passengers can catch a replacement coach service from Melton or Wyndham Vale, to Deer Park, connecting with route 420, 422 or 427 buses between Deer Park and Sunshine.
Commuters are being urged to allow extra time and download a temporary timetable to plan their travel while the essential works on the level crossing removals are underway.
People can find out if they're affected by the works and plan their journey at the Big Build website.
The construction blitz is part of works that will see the Geelong and Ballarat lines become level crossing free between Deer Park and the city by 2024.
The boom gates can be down for up to 45 per cent of the morning peak at Ardeer, with 37 trains running through the crossing, delaying tens of thousands of passenger and freight vehicles every day.
Removing the crossings also removes the risk of delays to train services caused by level crossing faults such as boom arms damaged by road vehicles.
The Level Crossing Removal Project is removing 75 dangerous and congested level crossings across Melbourne, with 46 already gone for good. In 2021 we're removing one level crossing on average every month.
