- Published:
- Friday 21 July 2017
The Andrews Labor Government’s Regional Rail Revival will upgrade track, signalling and more level crossings to run new trains and extra services to Warrnambool.
Premier Daniel Andrews visited Warrnambool station today, where stabling will be upgraded as part of a $114 million upgrade that will pave the way for VLocity trains to travel to Warrnambool for the first time.
The project will build a new crossing loop, improve signalling and upgrade level crossings along the Warrnambool line.
These upgrades will improve safety, boost reliability and cut the trip between Warrnambool and Melbourne by up to 20 minutes.
Works will also enable a fifth daily return service to Warrnambool – a key component of the Regional Network Development Plan released last year.
Freight will be improved – boosting the economy – with containerised products like meat and dairy moving more quickly, efficiently and reliably from the terminal at Dennington to the Port of Melbourne.
Thanks to a $10 million package announced in February, work is already underway to upgrade 20 level crossings on the Warrnambool line with lights, bells and boom gates. These works will be completed by the end of the year, allowing speed restrictions to be lifted.
As part of the Regional Rail Revival package of works, additional level crossings will also be upgraded, which – along with new stabling and signalling – will finally allow VLocity trains to run on the line.
The Labor Government is also improving Warrnambool Station with 100 new car spaces and a brand new sheltered bus interchange, making it easier for more people to get to the station and catch the train.
The first new services in a decade have also rolled out on the Warrnambool line, with 12 extra having started in January. This has brought services up to four return each weekday and three return on weekends.
In addition, from 27 August, six weekday Warrnambool trains will run express through several stations between Geelong and Footscray – reducing crowding and cutting travel times for passengers.
The Warrnambool Line Upgrade is part of a once-in-a-generation $1.57 billion package of works that will create more than 1000 jobs and see every major passenger line in regional Victoria upgraded.
Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews
“We fought for these upgrades, and now we’re getting on with them to run more trains more often.”
“With this massive upgrade, Labor is delivering more jobs, better trains, and more services to Warrnambool.”