- Published:
- Thursday 5 November 2015
Level crossings on Scoresby Rd and Mountain Hwy in Bayswater will be the next to go as part of the Andrews Labor Government’s removal of dangerous and congested crossings across Melbourne.
Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan joined local Member Shaun Leane in Bayswater today to announce that early works would begin this year and both crossings will be gone by late 2017.
More than 100 trains and around 65,000 vehicles use the crossings every day, making them some of the busiest in Victoria. Mountain Hwy also has more than 100 buses running through it each day.
Boom gates are down for more than 20 minutes at Scoresby Rd between 7:00am and 9:00am, while at Mountain Hwy the boom gates are down for nearly a quarter of the morning peak.
Both crossings will be removed as a single package of works, increasing coordination and reducing disruption for motorists, passengers and the local community.
They will be removed through a combination of lowering the rail line and raising Mountain Hwy and Scoresby Rd, which will enable trains to continue to access the maintenance yard between the crossings.
Bayswater station will be rebuilt into a safer, more accessible and user friendly transport hub, with new platforms below road level, better cycling facilities and improved pedestrian access.
The Bayswater package will create hundreds of jobs during construction, part of the 4,500 jobs the Level Crossing Removal Project will create across Victoria.
The tender process for the removals is already well advanced, with an alliance including Laing O’Rourke, Fulton Hogan and Aecom already confirmed as the preferred bidder for the package of works.
For more detail about the Andrews Labor Government’s plan to reduce congestion, improve safety, run more trains and create local jobs, visit levelcrossings.vic.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport, Jacinta Allan
“These are the next two level crossings that will be removed this term by the Andrews Labor Government. They put lives at risk, stop us running more trains and hold 65,000 cars, trucks and buses hostage every day – they’ve got to go.”
“Works will begin this year and by late 2017, both these crossings will be gone and passengers will be getting on and off better train services at a safer, more accessible and more user friendly Bayswater station.”
“We’re not wasting a moment. We’ve already announced 19 level crossings that will go before the next election, and there are more to come.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Metropolitan, Shaun Leane
“Removing these level crossings is what Bayswater needs. It will relieve pressure on local roads, make Belgrave line trains more reliable and improve safety for the local residents, businesses and visitors.”