- Published:
- Thursday 12 May 2022
In 2014, many doubted the Andrews Labor Government would remove one level crossing.
Today, 60 of Melbourne’s dangerous and congested level crossings are now gone for good.
In the early hours of this morning Glenroy Road re-opened to traffic, connecting the community and improving safety for locals and commuters in the city’s north.
Since 2015, the Level Crossing Removal Project has transformed communities across Melbourne on every train line – from Werribee to Frankston, and Lilydale to Mernda.
Removing 60 level crossings since 2015 has saved 42 hours of boom gate down time in the morning peak each weekday, delivered 35 new and upgraded stations and unlocked more than 20 MCGs worth of open space, planted over 2 million trees, 42 kilometres of walking and shared user paths, improving communities all over the city.
Our hardworking project teams have made communities safer with 257 near miss or collision incidents avoided as a result of level crossings removed at 60 sites.
This milestone has been achieved more than a year ahead of schedule, exceeding the original timeline to get rid of 50 level crossings by the end of 2022.
More than 68 million hours have been worked across this city-changing project, with around 6000 people currently working on level crossing removals, supporting secure jobs in many industries including manufacturing and traffic management, landscaping and cleaning.
Since saying goodbye to the 50th set of boom gates at Bonbeach in November last year, the project has removed level crossings at Edithvale, Chelsea, Hoppers Crossing, Williamstown, Dandenong South, Berwick, Hallam and now at Glenroy.
The Labor Government is well on track to remove 85 level crossings from Melbourne by 2025, including four level crossing at Preston by the end of the month and at Fitzgerald Road in Ardeer, Robinsons Road, Deer Park and Gap Road, Sunbury, by the end of the year, boosting safety and easing congestion for these suburbs.
The boom gates at Glenroy Road previously held up traffic for around 43 per cent of the morning peak, with 19,000 vehicles using the road every day. A new station opened at Glenroy over the weekend, with trains on the Craigieburn line now running in a 1.2-kilometre rail trench underneath Glenroy Road.
Construction continues on 15 level crossing removals across Melbourne, as well as planning for another 10, which were announced by the Government in 2025 and set to go for good in just over three years.
This includes making some of Melbourne’s busiest rail lines level crossing free including the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Lilydale lines, allowing more trains to run more safely and with less congestion on local roads.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan
“60 death traps are now a thing of the past, more than a year ahead of schedule, boosting safety, easing congestion and transforming communities all across our growing city.”
“Removing level crossings and changing the way people live, work and travel – and we’re getting it done.”
Quote attributable to Member for Pascoe Vale Lizzie Blandthorn
“Getting rid of the level crossing at Glenroy means that no longer is our community divided by a railway line. Locals will easily cross the rail line without being delayed by boom gates or bells for the first time in more than 100 years.”