- Published:
- Friday 3 February 2023
The Andrews Labor Government is getting on with delivering more trains more often – with more train services on the Hurstbridge line from the middle of the year, alongside two new stations at Greensborough and Montmorency.
Crews are gearing up for work from mid-March to build the new stations at Greensborough and Montmorency and finish 3.5 kilometres of track duplication as part of the Labor Government’s Hurstbridge Line Duplication.
The works will see more trains than ever before running on the line with the track duplicated between Greensborough and Montmorency, and between Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen – also allowing trains to pass each other along the line, resulting in increased reliability for passengers.
The new timetable will see trains run every seven minutes from Greensborough, 10 minutes from Montmorency and Eltham and 20-minutes from Diamond Creek, Wattle Glen and Hurstbridge during the morning peak – as well as two more morning peak services will be available from Hurstbridge.
The new, modern stations at Greensborough and Montmorency will have better facilities for passengers including better weather protection, safer connections to the surrounding area and improved all abilities access to meet the current and future needs of the community.
A new walking and cycling path will be built between the two stations by the end of the year, making it easier for people to exercise and commute, and connecting to the Plenty River trail via a new signalised pedestrian crossing.
Platform 2 at Diamond Creek Station will also be upgraded and a new signalised pedestrian crossing behind Diamond Valley College will be built, so the school community can safely cross the rail corridor.
Track duplication and signalling work will take place from 16 March until 30 April. During this time, buses will replace trains on sections of the Hurstbridge line. Commuters are encouraged to plan ahead and allow extra travel time.
Ahead of the six-week construction blitz, buses will also replace trains on parts of the Hurstbridge Line from 3 March until 7 March as crews work to upgrade tracks, signalling and equipment in preparation for the future extension of the rail tunnel beneath Greensborough Highway, as part of the North East Link Program.
The Labor Government’s Level Crossing Removal Project is removing 110 level crossings across Melbourne by 2030 – including 20 in the north-eastern suburbs, like the Ruthven Street level crossing in Macleod by 2027, to improve safety, unclog traffic congestion and increase the capacity of our train network.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Jacinta Allan
“We’re getting on with delivering more trains more often. Residents in Melbourne’s north-east can look forward to a new timetable and more services than ever before by the middle of the year.”
“This is the final push to complete the track duplication on the Hurstbridge line and build new modern stations at Greensborough and Montmorency – which will mean a better experience for passengers right along the line.”
Quote attributable to Member for Bundoora Colin Brooks
“We’ll soon see the benefits of the Hurstbridge line duplication and with Melbourne's north-east growing rapidly, delivering more trains services and less crowding on peak services can’t come soon enough.”
Quote attributable to Member for Eltham Vicki Ward
“We’d like to thank people for their patience while we continue the work to deliver better services and modern new stations at Montmorency and Greensborough.”