The Victorian Government has announced the summer works program for the Regional Rail Link, which is due to include new tracks, new signals and tunnel strengthening will be carried out over the quieter summer holiday period, Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder said.

 

Mr Mulder said works to be undertaken between Footscray and Sunshine included:

  • bridge modifications in Footscray and West Melbourne;
  • track installation and realignment in Footscray and West Melbourne;
  • station upgrade works at Sunshine, West Footscray and Footscray railway stations;
  • continued work to remove two level crossings at Anderson Road, Sunshine;
  • tunnel strengthening works to support the Dudley Street bridge structure;
  • earthworks in Tottenham, Footscray and North Melbourne;
  • replacement of track and ballast in Sunshine;
  • rail signal replacements at South Kensington;
  • service relocation in Sunshine; and
  • site investigations.

 

 

The Regional Rail Link will create capacity for an extra 23 suburban and 10 regional services during each morning and evening at peak times, allowing an extra 54,000 passenger trips each day.

 

Dedicated regional tracks will be built from West Werribee Junction to Deer Park then alongside the existing tracks from Sunshine to Southern Cross Station. When completed, passengers on the Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat lines will have a streamlined journey on their own tracks, avoiding congestion with suburban trains.

 

As well as improving existing services, the Regional Rail Link will lay the foundations for future expansion of the rail network to meet the needs of Victoria's growing population, according to Mr Mulder.