- Published:
- Monday 21 October 2019
Passengers in Melbourne’s outer west will soon be able to catch trains from Victoria’s newest station, with Cobblebank set to open in December.
The station which is set to open on Monday 2 December, is being delivered as part of the half-a-billion-dollar Ballarat Line Upgrade, and will bring with it a new timetable including two extra peak services each day and new bus services for surrounding suburbs.
The two new peak services – one morning and one afternoon – will also begin on the 2nd of December when trains begin using the newly constructed 18 kilometres of duplicated track between Deer Park West and Melton.
The new track will be laid during a massive construction blitz along the line from 9 November to 1 December. The blitz will also include signalling upgrades and works at Ballan, Bacchus Marsh and Wendouree stations.
During the blitz, V/Line drivers will undergo training and safety testing to make sure the new Cobblebank Station and the 18 kilometre duplicated track are safe and ready to be used by trains.
New bus services will also start running from 2 December to and from Cobblebank Station, and between the newly rebuilt Rockbank Station and nearby Aintree, with services every 40 minutes.
Following major construction completion on the Ballarat Line Upgrade at the end of the year, there will be a further commissioning and safety testing period to bring the remaining infrastructure online and enable even more services to be introduced in 2020.
Once completed, Ballarat line passengers will benefit from more peak services and trains every 40 minutes in the off-peak, as well as more modern and accessible stations.
For more information visit regionalrailrevival.vic.gov.au.
Quote attributable to Acting Premier James Merlino
“The opening of Cobblebank Station is a major milestone in delivering the Ballarat Line Upgrade, which will mean more frequent and reliable services for passengers in Melbourne’s growing western suburbs.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan
“This construction blitz is the final push before opening Cobblebank Station and means we’re well and truly on the way to delivering better services for passengers on the Ballarat line.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Public Transport Melissa Horne
“285 trains will pick up passengers each week from Cobblebank Station providing locals with a vital link to our public transport network and getting them where they need to go.”
Quote attributable to Member for Melton Steve McGhie
“We’re not just adding extra train services for locals – we’re also adding new buses to get people to the new station and to get cars off the roads.”