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For the project in Western Australia, see Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal Project.

Level Crossing Removal Project
The logo of the Level Crossing Removal Project, showing multiple small red circles and black text for the project name.
The newly elevated Reservoir railway station showing the project's elevated designs with a road in the foreground.
Elevated rail near the rebuilt Preston station.
Project overview
Formed2015
TypeProject team
JurisdictionMelbourne
HeadquartersMelbourne
EmployeesIncrease 382 (June 2018)
Minister responsible
Project executive
  • Kevin Devlin, CEO
Parent departmentDepartment of Transport
Parent authorityMajor Transport Infrastructure Authority
Websitelevelcrossings.vic.gov.au
This article is part of
a series about
Daniel Andrews

Member of the Legislative Assembly for Mulgrave (2002–2023)

Premier of Victoria

Ministries

Elections

Royal Commissions

Daniel Andrews's signature

Victoria State Government

The Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) is an infrastructure upgrade program by the Government of Victoria, Australia, to remove and grade-separate 110 level crossings and to rebuild 51 railway stations on the metropolitan rail network of the state capital Melbourne. The project aims to improve network efficiency, rail safety and reduce traffic congestion.

After pledging the removal of 50 level crossings at the 2014 Victorian state election, the Andrews Government committed $2.4 billion in the 2015–2016 budget to remove the first 20 crossings by 2018. The next 30 crossings were notionally funded through the hypothecation of the sale proceeds from the privatisation of the Port of Melbourne.[1] Prior to the 2018 state election, the government committed to remove a further 25 level crossings, using a new prioritisation framework.[2] In 2021, the government announced a further ten level crossing removals and four level crossing closures would occur by 2025, bringing the total planned level crossing removals to 85 by 2025.[3][4] In 2022, the Andrews government announced the removal of an additional 25 level crossings by 2030, bringing the total to 110.

Previously its own administrative agency, in 2019 the LXRP became a project within the Major Transport Infrastructure Authority, an office of the Victorian Department of Transport.[5] As of July 2023, 72 crossings have been removed and 39 train stations have been rebuilt as part of the project.[6]

Background

A black and white photo of the level crossing at Clayton Road, Clayton with manually operated gates before its removal.
The level crossing at Clayton Road, Clayton prior to its removal.

When Melbourne's rail network was built, many road-railway crossings were via level crossing rather than bridges or underpasses due to the city's flat topography and sparse population. As traffic levels increased, these became bottlenecks for road and rail traffic, limiting the speed and frequency of train services. In 1954, the State Government established a committee to look at the removal of level crossings at Clifton Hill, Elsternwick, Footscray, Moorabbin, and Newport.[7][8] These projects were completed by 1960.[9]

In 1983, the level crossing at Station Street, Box Hill, was removed. Other level crossing removals include Dorset Road, Boronia, in 1998 and Middleborough Road, Laburnum, in 2007.[10] In the early 2010s, level crossings were removed at Nunawading (2010), Springvale (2014), Sunshine (2014) and Mitcham (2014).[11][12][13]

As of 2014, there were 170 level crossings left on Melbourne's rail network and 228 places where railways had been separated from roads; by the end of the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP), less than 60 level crossings will remain. Over two-thirds of these grade separations were constructed between 1863 and 1918, with fewer than one level crossing removal per year between 1918 and 2015. The commitment by the government to remove 110 level crossings over sixteen years, by 2030, represents the fastest rate of crossing removals in Melbourne's history.[14]

History

2014 election commitments

A Z-Class tram crossing the tram-train level crossing at Kooyong Station.
The crossing at Glenferrie Road, Kooyong wasn't included on the original removal list, despite being marked as a priority by VicRoads.

In June 2014, five months prior to the Victorian state election, VicRoads compiled a report of the most dangerous level crossings in Victoria and handed it to the Napthine Liberal-Nationals government.[15] In its 2014 state election manifesto, the then Labor opposition announced that, if elected, it would remove 50 level crossings by grade separation, with 20 to be removed by 2018. Although the majority of crossings announced by Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews were included in the priority list, ten of the crossings highlighted by VicRoads were not on the opposition's list.[16] The sites of all 50 level crossing removals were progressively announced over the following two years after the election of the Andrews government in November 2014.[17]

In September 2016, the Port of Melbourne lease concluded, providing $9.7 billion for infrastructure, including funding for the remaining 30 level crossing removals to be completed by mid-2022.[18]

2018 election commitments

A large yellow sign next to the Cramer Street, Preston level crossing indicating that it will be removed.
A project sign in 2020 indicating that the crossing at Cramer Street, Preston will be removed.

In October 2018, the LXRP surpassed the State Government's 2014 election commitment of removing 20 level crossings by 2018, having officially removed 29 crossings.[19] In the lead up to the 2018 state election, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews pledged to remove a further 25 level crossings across Melbourne at a cost of $6.6 billion by 2025. The locations of the additional removals were announced progressively over the course of 2018 through a new prioritisation framework based on safety, congestion, and proximity to emergency services.[2]

2021 additional commitments

In July 2021, the State Government announced the removal of an additional ten level crossings and four closures by 2025 at a cost of $2.5 billion.[4] These removals will include the reconstruction of five stations across the network, with stations to be rebuilt at Croydon, Keon Park, Narre Warren, Parkdale, and Ringwood East. At the conclusion of these additional 35 removals, the Pakenham, Cranbourne, and Lilydale lines will have no level crossings for their entire length, with these announcements pushing the number of crossing removals to 85 by 2025.[20]

2022 election commitments

In the lead up to the 2022 state election, the Andrews government announced a further 25 level crossing removals, bringing the total number of removals to 110 by 2030. Many of these removals will be delivered together and include a number of closures. In September 2022, the premier announced eight crossings would be removed in Brunswick on the Upfield line.[21][22] The eight crossings would be removed by 2027 and would include the rebuilding of Jewell, Brunswick, and Anstey stations.[22] The government announced elevated rail would be built along the corridor from Royal Park to Moreland Road, meeting the elevated rail built as part of the 2022 level crossing removal works, and would include an upgrade of the Upfield Bike Path.[21]

In October 2022, the government committed to removing an extra four level crossings on the Ballarat line between Caroline Springs and Melton stations by 2028. Proposed removal methods for the level crossings at Exford Road and Coburns Road is by constructing a rail trench and lowering Melton station, while the roads will be elevated over tracks to get rid of the Hopkins Road and Ferris Road level crossings.[23] Seven more crossing removals and two closures were announced in October 2022 for the Frankston line.[24] These level crossings would be removed by 2029 and would make the line level crossing free for its entire length.[24] Four stations will be rebuilt as part of the removals at Highett, Mordialloc, Aspendale and Seaford.[25]

On 21 and 25 October 2022, the Andrews government announced an additional two level crossing removals for the Sunbury line and one on the Hurstbridge line. These crossings are located at Old Calder Highway and Watsons Road, Diggers Rest, and Ruthven St, Macleod. These crossings will be removed by 2026 via the construction of a road bridge for the Sunbury line removals and a rail bridge for the Hurstbridge line.[26] At the conclusion of these removals, the Sunbury line will be fully level crossing free.[27]

The government announced an additional three removals and two closures on the Werribee line on 27 October 2022.[28][29] Along with the four already removed on the Werribee line, these removals would make the line level crossing free by 2030, and allow for additional services and the construction of the Geelong Fast Rail project.[29] The crossings at Hudsons Road, Spotswood, Maddox Road, Newport, and Maidstone Street, Altona. These crossings will be removed with a combination of rail over and road over, and will include a newly elevated Spotswood station.[30] The crossings at Anderson Street, Yarraville, and Champion Road, Newport will be closed during the project. Pedestrian links will still remain with a plan to upgrade local roads to accommodate the closure of these crossings.[30]

In early June 2023, the Andrews government announced that 9 crossings promised prior to the 2022 state election would be fast tracked.[31] On the Sunbury line, crossings at Old Calder Highway and Watsons Road in Diggers Rest will be removed one year ahead of schedule in 2025.[31] Crossings on the Ballarat line at Coburns Road, Exford Road, and Ferris Road in Melton and at Hopkins Road in Truganina will be removed two years ahead of schedule in 2026.[31] Finally, crossings at McDonald Street, Station Street, and Bear Street on the Frankston line will now be removed in 2026.[31]

Again in early June 2023, the Andrews government announced that 3 crossings on the Werribee and Williamstown lines announced prior to the 2022 state election would be fast tracked.[32] The crossing at Maddox Road, Newport will be removed by 2026, with an elevated rail bridge replacing the crossing.[32] In addition, the crossing at Champion Road will be closed in conjunction with these works.[32] The Maidstone Street level crossing in Altona will also be removed in 2027 via the construction of a road bridge.[32] Finally, the crossing at Hudsons Road in Spotswood will be removed via a new rail bridge. Spotswood station will also be elevated.[32]

Governance

The landscaped forecourt of Middle Gorge Station.
Middle Gorge station, opened as part of the Mernda rail extension in 2018.

The Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA) was formed in May 2015 as an administrative office of the then-new Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources to deliver the project.[33][34][35]

Later, the LXRA led delivery of other rail projects, including extension of the South Morang railway line to Mernda, upgrades of the Hurstbridge and Cranbourne lines, as well as a rebuilt Frankston station. The authority also delivered a new stabling facility north of Wyndham Vale station and train storage at Kananook.[36][37]

The LXRA was abolished as an independent administrative office following the 2018 state election, and its functions were absorbed into the newly formed Major Transport Infrastructure Authority at the Department of Transport.[38]

Architecture and urban design

The coloured windows at Bell railway station, Preston with the staircase leading to the platform in the foreground
The interior of the rebuilt Bell station in Preston, showing stained glass windows behind the staircase that leads to the city-bound platform.

The LXRP has used several different design approaches to removing level crossings, tailoring designs to different urban settings around Melbourne.[39] Most projects, particularly those in the denser inner- and middle-suburbs, have involved lowering the rail line into a trench or elevating the rail line above the road. Some projects in outer suburbs, such as Gap Road near Sunbury station or Station Street near Beaconsfield station, have involved lowering or raising the road without altering the existing rail corridor. This is enabled by the additional space surrounding the railway line.[39]

As noted by University of Melbourne researchers in 2016, the scale of the project had significant urban renewal implications for the city:

Each crossing removal affects, on average, at least a kilometre of rail corridor and, within the urban area, this usually includes a station. In some instances, topography has required the removal of more than one crossing to meet rail engineering requirements as well as longer sections of corridor becoming part of the works. On the face of it, this means that the current seventy-five crossing removals could result in seventy-five kilometres of transformed rail corridors and fifty-seven new stations – more than a quarter of Melbourne’s total.[39]

The researchers emphasised the urban benefits from new elevated rail over trenched rail, including the creation of new parkland and open space, arguing wider benefits could be achieved beyond reducing traffic congestion.[40] One study examined the local public health positive and negative impacts from the removal of level crossings on the Upfield line, including significant construction impacts.[41] The study found that by improving road connections the project could help induce more car usage, but that this could be offset by improvements to pedestrian and cycling connections.[42]

Awards

The LXRP has received numerous awards for their different projects in the categories of sustainability, architecture, and urban design. The Reservoir station project was presented the 'Special Prize Exterior' award in the Passenger Stations category at the World Architecture and Design Award at the 2021 Prix Versailles.[43][44] The Toorak Road level crossing removal topped the infrastructure category of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects awards due to the design of the new public parkland, cycling paths, and open space.[45] The elevated rail project from Moreland to Coburg stations saw landscape architects Tract win the Infrastructure Award of Excellence for their landscape and urban design work on the project, with the judging panel "particularly impressed with the urban renewal of the area".[45][46] The Bell to Moreland project was also awarded a score of 98 points from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC), the highest rating ever awarded in Australia.[47]

Elevated rail

Recreational space created by the LXRP beneath the newly elevated rail line at Clayton station in Melbourne's south-east
Recreational space created by the LXRP beneath the newly elevated rail line at Clayton station in Melbourne's south-east

Some of the most significant changes to Melbourne's urban structure from the LXRP have resulted from the construction of large sections of elevated rail, something that was relatively rare in Melbourne.[48] In 2016, the government announced that 8.3 kilometres (5.2 mi) of elevated rail would be built in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs to remove nine level crossings on the Pakenham and Cranbourne rail corridor and build five new elevated stations at Carnegie, Murrumbeena, Hughesdale, Clayton and Noble Park.[48]

Dubbed "sky rail" by opponents and some media outlets, the LXRP spurred significant local opposition due to concerns over visual and noise impacts, and lack of consultation.[49][50] The project became a political issue in the 2018 state election, although one opinion poll commissioned by The Age newspaper found 60% of Victorians supported the use of elevated rail to remove level crossings, and the government was returned at the election with an increased majority.[51][52] Prior to the election, the government announced more sections of elevated rail on the Pakenham line.[53]

Some experts argued elevated rail offered a better urban outcome than trenched rail, providing opportunities for more open space, economic development, better local connections and less disruption from construction.[49][54] The Caulfield to Dandenong level crossing removals created a large new section of open parkland, dubbed a "linear park".[39] This included 22.5 hectares (56 acres) of new open space, sports courts, playgrounds, new walking and cycling trails, and expanded station forecourts.[55][56] As part of the project, the Djerring Trail was created, a 17-kilometre (11 mi) shared-use path along the rail corridor. In the year after the elevated rail opened in 2018, the media reported that many residents, including some who were opposed to the project, were happy with the outcome and utilised the new open space.[57][58]

Tree removal

The elevated rail bridge under construction at Lower Plenty Road, Rosanna.
Construction at the level crossing removal at Lower Plenty Road near Rosanna railway station in 2018, with mature river red gums in background.

The removal of mature trees for level crossing removal works has been a source of controversy with some local residents and project critics.[59][60] Due to the nature of the LXRP, trees need to be cut down or relocated from the site to allow for construction works. This is a particular issue for projects where the rail line is lowered into a trench, such as the planned level crossing removals near Glen Huntly station, which have required significant mature tree removal along the planned one-kilometre (0.6 mi) rail trench.[61][62] An elevated rail design was chosen to remove the level crossings near Rosanna station in part to minimise the loss of native trees, as a proposed rail trench would have required the removal of hundreds of mature river red gum trees along the corridor.[63][64]

According to a newspaper report, more than 10,000 trees have been cut down since 2014 to allow for the construction of Victorian infrastructure projects—including hundreds of trees for the LXRP.[59] During the level crossing removal at Moreland Road, a campaign against the removal of 100 mature trees was unsuccessful, with a local councillor claiming only three or four trees remained at the conclusion of the project.[59] In response, the government has stated more trees were planted than were there originally, as part of expanded parkland at the site.[59] The state opposition has highlighted and campaigned on tree loss due to major infrastructure projects.[59]

Railway heritage

Moreland railway station shows the integration of the old heritage station into the new elevated design.
LXRP retention of the heritage-listed Mentone railway station at street-level as a heritage deck and park, above the newly lowered station.

The loss of heritage railways stations and the impact on heritage architecture has been a source of controversy and a key design consideration for the project. During the removal of a level crossing or rebuild of a railway station, heritage station buildings or existing railway infrastructure may be impacted. Some heritage buildings have been demolished, while others have been retained, moved or adapted for other uses, such as at Clayton and Mentone stations.[65][66]

At the Warrigal Road level crossing removal, Kingston Council have called for heritage protection for the heritage Parkdale railway station buildings.[67] This request has been denied by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning as well as Heritage Victoria on grounds that the structure is "not of state-level cultural heritage significance".[68] Nonetheless, in response to the local campaign to preserve the original heritage station building, the LXRP announced it would retain and repurpose the building within the precinct, although the extent of the retention is not clear.[69][70]

Other crossing removals have had their heritage structures restored for reuse. At Moreland station, the original heritage station building that opened in 1884 was restored and turned into additional station facilities.[71] Heritage restorations are common across the removals, with other examples including the signals box at Gardiner railway station turning into bike parking, and the station building at North Williamstown railway station being restored into community and station facilities.[72][73]

Crossing closures

The increased use of road closures to remove level crossings has been a source of controversy. The government has used crossing closures in select cases where there are nearby crossing removal projects or existing grade-separated major roads. For example, the crossings at Anderson Street, Yarraville, and Champion Road, Newport will be closed at the same time as the rail line will be elevated above Hudsons Road in nearby Spotswood and at Maddox Road in Newport with new grade-separated pedestrian and cycling crossings also built.[30] According to the government, this solution is required is due to the constrained site, significant heritage impacts that would arise from grade separation, and the relatively low level of car traffic on the roads.[30] Some local residents, however, have objected to the road closures, arguing there would be significant impacts to local car journeys.[74] Similar objections were raised during the 2022 state election by the state opposition over the closure of Latrobe Street in Cheltenham, which similarly is located close to two other grade separated crossings completed in 2020.[75]

Reception

Political

A modern train (HCMT) approaches platform 2 at the newly elevated Carnegie railway station.
A HCMT approaches platform 2 at the newly elevated Carnegie railway station.

The LXRP has generally been seen as a political success for the Andrews government. Journalist Benita Kolovos argued it was the quick rollout of the program and the visible, tangible benefits it delivered to communities that drove its electoral success.[76] She wrote: "It was promised at the 2014 election, construction began in the first year of the Andrews government’s term and several were completed before the 2018 election. Commuters benefited from more trains, drivers from less traffic."[76] The government's messaging on the project has focused on these localised benefits, public safety, and the prevalence of level crossings within Melbourne. Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said in 2021: "Every Victorian knows the dinging sound of boom gates coming down and the frustration that comes with it, that’s why we’re getting rid of them – saving lives, easing congestion and getting you home sooner."[77]

But controversy over design choices and the cost of the project has also prompted opposition. Liberal MP Brad Rowswell criticised the Andrews government for a lack of community consultation and local feedback on the project and claimed that the government was out of touch with the community.[75] Shadow Minister for Transport Infrastructure David Davis criticised the project for its cost, arguing that “without a comprehensive business case, there is simply no proper economic justification for the Level Crossing Removal Program".[78] The ongoing disruption of roadworks for the project was also an issue in some suburbs.[79]

Media

The Guardian Australia has called the program "transformational" and "suburb moulding" in comments about the Andrews government's infrastructure projects.[80] Other local newspapers, such as The Age and Herald Sun, have been critical of the project and have highlighted local opposition in their reporting.[81][82][83][84]

Experts and lobby groups

The Public Transport Users Association has campaigned for level-crossing removals, and has welcome the LXRP and its benefits to the public transport system, with spokesman Daniel Bowen highlighting how the projects "bring a lot of pluses to the wider community, and [how] it’s good to finally see progress on them."[85][86] The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria have also campaigned for level crossing removals, and have welcomed announcements of crossing removals.[87]

Academics Ian Woodcock and John Stone have highlighted the benefits from the LXRP, including its urban design opportunities and how it has contributed to the revitalisation of public transportation in Melbourne.[88][39] Other academics such as Monash University researcher Graham Currie have been critical of the project, arguing the travel time savings resulting from the project were low and did not justify the cost.[83]

Auditor-General

The main entrance to the lowered Chelsea railway station platforms.
The main entrance to the new Chelsea railway station platforms.

A report released in December 2017 by the Victorian Auditor-General's Office in the LXRP's original fifty level crossing removals found that the speed and cost of the project carried significant risks.[89] The report criticised the Level Crossing Removal Authority for its haste in delivering the program, and found that the rapid pace of the project had contributed to a failure to properly assess the merits of each grade separation. In 2017, the project's cost was found to have increased to $8.3 billion, the project is more than 38% more expensive than its initial $5–6 billion estimated price tag.[89]

The Auditor-General criticised the selection of crossings, stating that the value of the project was compromised by the apparent political motivation for some crossing removals at the expense of more dangerous or congested intersections.[90] In their report, the Auditor-General found that only 32 of the crossings chosen in the original 50 removals were featured in the top 50 of a 2008 list by the Department of Transport of the state's most dangerous level crossings. 28 of these were prioritised on a 2013 VicRoads removal list which was handed to the Napthine government.[89]

Since these findings, the LXRP has developed and applied a transparent process to select sites for the additional level crossing removals. In a follow-up 2020 report, the Auditor-General stated the new process has improved the project’s cost-effectiveness because it uses delivery efficiency as one of the criteria for site selection.[91] The Auditor-General noted the Department and the Major Transport Infrastructure Authority had fully addressed seven of its recommendations, partially addressed one and was working to address two more, but warned that the project had not completed a business case for its second batch of crossing removals so the economic benefits were unclear.[91]

Public

While the LXRP has been broadly popular, local opposition has attracted significant media attention. Elevated rail has been controversial among some local residents and businesses, with protests over the removal of crossings on the Upfield line calling for a rail trench to be used instead.[92][93] At the same time, polling has found a majority of Victorians supported the use of elevated rail to remove level crossings.[51] In other examples, such as the Caulfield to Dandenong elevated rail project, local media reported that many residents were supportive of the project's outcomes.[57][58]

List of crossing removals

Original 50 crossing removals: 2014–2022

Prior to the 2014 state election, the then Labor opposition announced a plan to remove 50 level crossings by 2022, including 20 by 2018.[94] Park Road, Cheltenham, and Mascot Avenue in Bonbeach and Lochiel Avenue, Edithvale were added to the original 50 level crossing removals after further community consultations.[95][96][97] This pushed the number of level crossing removals to 53. These removals were completed on the Glen Waverley, Frankston, Sunbury, Belgrave, Lilydale, Upfield, Pakenham, Cranbourne, Werribee, Craigieburn, and Mernda lines by May 2022.[98]

Line(s) Road Nearest station Solution Date of completion
Glen Waverley Burke Road Gardiner Rail under January 2016[99]
Frankston Centre Road Bentleigh Rail under August 2016[100]
Frankston McKinnon Road McKinnon Rail under August 2016[100]
Frankston North Road Ormond Rail under August 2016[100]
Sunbury Furlong Road Ginifer Rail under November 2016[101]
Sunbury Main Road (West/East) St Albans Rail under November 2016[101]
Belgrave Mountain Highway Bayswater Hybrid December 2016[102][103]
Belgrave Scoresby Road Bayswater Rail under December 2016[103]
Belgrave, Lilydale Blackburn Road Blackburn Rail under January 2017[104]
Belgrave, Lilydale Heatherdale Road Heatherdale Rail under January 2017[105]
Upfield Camp Road Gowrie Rail under December 2017[106]
Sunbury Melton Highway Watergardens Road over January 2018[107]
Cranbourne, Pakenham Chandler Road Noble Park Rail over February 2018[108]
Cranbourne, Pakenham Corrigan Road Noble Park Rail over February 2018[108]
Cranbourne, Pakenham Heatherton Road Noble Park Rail over February 2018[108]
Cranbourne, Pakenham Centre Road Clayton Rail over April 2018[109]
Cranbourne, Pakenham Clayton Road Clayton Rail over April 2018[109]
Hurstbridge Grange Road Alphington Rail under May 2018[110]
Hurstbridge Lower Plenty Road Rosanna Rail over May 2018[111]
Cranbourne, Pakenham Grange Road Carnegie Rail over June 2018[112]
Cranbourne, Pakenham Koornang Road Carnegie Rail over June 2018[112]
Cranbourne, Pakenham Murrumbeena Road Murrumbeena Rail over June 2018[112]
Cranbourne, Pakenham Poath Road Hughesdale Rail over June 2018[112]
Frankston Skye/Overton Road Kananook Rail over June 2018[113]
Cranbourne Thompsons Road Merinda Park Road over June 2018[114]
Werribee Kororoit Creek Road Seaholme Rail over July 2018[115]
Cranbourne Abbotts Road Dandenong Rail over September 2018[116]
Craigieburn Buckley Street Essendon Road under September 2018[117]
Frankston Seaford Road Seaford Hybrid September 2018[118]
Werribee Aviation Road Aircraft Road over September 2019[119]
Mernda High Street Reservoir Rail over December 2019[120]
Frankston Eel Race Road Carrum Closed off February 2020[121]
Frankston Mascot Avenue Bonbeach Closed off February 2020[122]
Frankston Station Street Carrum Rail over February 2020[123]
Glen Waverley Toorak Road Tooronga Rail over April 2020[124]
Frankston Balcombe Road Mentone Rail under July 2020[125]
Frankston Charman Road Cheltenham Rail under August 2020[125]
Frankston Park Road Cheltenham Rail under August 2020[125]
Upfield Bell Street Coburg Rail over December 2020[126][127]
Upfield Moreland Road Moreland Rail over December 2020[126][127]
Werribee Werribee Street Werribee Rail over January 2021[128]
Werribee Cherry Street Werribee Road over March 2021[129]
Pakenham South Gippsland Highway Dandenong Road over August 2021[130]
Frankston Edithvale Road Edithvale Rail under November 2021[131]
Frankston Lochiel Avenue Edithvale Closed off November 2021[131]
Lilydale Manchester Road Mooroolbark Rail over November 2021[132]
Lilydale Maroondah Highway Lilydale Rail over November 2021[132]
Frankston Station Street/Bondi Road Bonbeach Rail under November 2021[131]
Williamstown Ferguson Street North Williamstown Rail under December 2021[133]
Pakenham Clyde Road Berwick Road under February 2022[134]
Pakenham Hallam Road Hallam Rail over April 2022[135]
Mernda Bell Street Bell Rail over May 2022[136]
Craigieburn Glenroy Road Glenroy Rail under May 2022[137]

Additional 25 crossing removals: 2022–2025

During the lead up to the 2018 state election, an extra 25 level crossing removals were announced.[2] These removals will occur on the Cranbourne, Pakenham, Upfield, Frankston, Mernda, Ballarat, Geelong, Sunbury, Belgrave, Lilydale, and Barinsdale lines. This announcement will result in the Cranbourne line being fully level crossing free, a first in Melbourne, with these announcements pushing the number of level crossing removals to 75 by 2025.

Line(s) Road Nearest station Preferred solution Status Date of Completion
Cranbourne Evans Road Merinda Park Road over Completed October 2020[138]
Upfield Munro Street Coburg Rail over Completed November 2020[139]
Upfield Reynard Street Coburg Rail over Completed November 2020[139]
Pakenham Cardinia Road Cardinia Road Road over Completed December 2020[140]
Frankston Argyle Avenue Chelsea Rail under Completed November 2021[131]
Frankston Chelsea Road Chelsea Closed off Completed November 2021[131]
Frankston Swanpool Avenue Chelsea Closed off Completed November 2021[131]
Werribee Old Geelong Road Hoppers Crossing Road over Completed December 2021[128]
Cranbourne Greens Road Dandenong Rail over Completed February 2022[141]
Mernda Cramer Street Preston Rail over Completed May 2022[142]
Mernda Murray Road Preston Rail over Completed May 2022[143]
Mernda Oakover Road Bell Rail over Completed May 2022[143]
Ballarat, Geelong Fitzgerald Road Ardeer Road over Completed July 2022[144][145]
Ballarat, Geelong Robinsons Road Deer Park Road under Completed September 2022[144]
Sunbury Gap Road Sunbury Road under Completed September 2022[146]
Ballarat, Geelong Mt Derrimut Road Deer Park Rail over Completed April 2023[147]
Belgrave, Lilydale Union Road Surrey Hills Rail under Completed May 2023[148]
Belgrave, Lilydale Mont Albert Road Mont Albert Rail under Completed May 2023[149]
Frankston Neerim Road Glen Huntly Rail under Completed June 2023[150]
Frankston Glen Huntly Road Glen Huntly Rail under Completed July 2023[151]
Cranbourne Camms Road Cranbourne Road over Under construction 2024[141]
Pakenham Main Street Pakenham Rail over Under construction 2024[152]
Pakenham McGregor Road Pakenham Rail over Under construction 2024[153]
Bairnsdale Racecourse Road Pakenham Rail over Under construction 2024[154]
Cranbourne, Pakenham Webster Street Dandenong Hybrid Planning 2025[155]

Additional 10 crossing removals: 2025

Boosting the number of removals, the Andrews Labor government announced in July 2021 an extra 10 level crossing removals and 4 closures.[20] These removals will occur on the Pakenham, Frankston, Mernda, Sunbury, Belgrave, and Lilydale lines. At the conclusion of these removals, the Pakenham and Lilydale lines will join the Cranbourne line in having no level crossings for their entire length, with these announcements pushing the number of crossing removals to 85 by 2025.[20]

Line(s) Road Nearest station Preferred solution Status Date of Completion
Belgrave Bedford Road Ringwood Rail under Under construction 2025[156]
Pakenham Brunt Road Officer Road over Under construction 2025[157]
Sunbury Calder Park Drive Watergardens Road over Under construction 2025[158]
Lilydale Coolstore Road Croydon Rail over Under construction 2025[159]
Lilydale Dublin Road Ringwood East Rail under Under construction 2025[160]
Mernda Keon Parade Keon Park Rail over Under construction 2025[161]
Frankston Parkers Road Parkdale Rail over Under construction 2025[162]
Pakenham Station Street Beaconsfield Road over Under construction 2025[163]
Frankston Warrigal Road Parkdale Rail over Under construction 2025[164]
Pakenham Webb Street Narre Warren Rail over Under construction 2025[165]
Lilydale Cave Hill Road Lilydale Closed off Planning 2025[166]
Sunbury Holden Road Watergardens Closed off Planning 2025[167]
Pakenham Progress Street Dandenong Closed off Planning 2025[168]
Pakenham Station Street Officer Closed off Planning 2025[169]

Additional 25 crossing removals 2025–2030

Prior to the 2022 state election, the State Government announced an extra 25 level crossing removals by 2030. These removals will occur on the Upfield, Ballarat, Sunbury, Hurstbridge, Frankston, and Werribee/Williamstown lines.[22] At the conclusion of these removals, the Frankston, Sunbury, and Werribee lines will have no level crossings for their entire length, joining the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Lilydale lines, once projects on those lines are complete.[170] These series of announcements have pushed the number of crossing removals to 110.[171][172][26]

Line(s) Road Nearest station Preferred solution Status Date of Completion
Sunbury Old Calder Highway Diggers Rest Road over Early planning 2025[27][31]
Sunbury Watsons Road Diggers Rest Road over Early planning 2025[27][31]
Frankston Bear Street Mordialloc Closed off Early planning 2026[23][31]
Werribee Champion Road Newport Closed off Early planning 2026[32][173]
Ballarat Coburns Road Melton Rail under Early planning 2026[23][31]
Ballarat Exford Road Melton Rail under Early planning 2026[23][31]
Ballarat Ferris Road Cobblebank Road over Early planning 2026[23][31]
Ballarat Hopkins Road Caroline Springs Road over Early planning 2026[23][31]
Werribee Maddox Road Newport Rail over Early planning 2026[32][173]
Frankston McDonald Street Mordialloc Rail over Early planning 2026[23][31]
Frankston Station Street Mordialloc Rail over Early planning 2026[23][31]
Upfield Albert Street Brunswick Rail over Early planning 2027[171]
Upfield Albion Street Anstey Rail over Early planning 2027[171]
Upfield Brunswick Road Jewell Rail over Early planning 2027[171]
Upfield Dawson Street Jewell Rail over Early planning 2027[171]
Upfield Hope Street Anstey Rail over Early planning 2027[171]
Werribee Maidstone Street Westona[a] Road over Early planning 2027[32][173]
Upfield Union Street Jewell Rail over Early planning 2027[171]
Upfield Victoria Street Brunswick Rail over Early planning 2027[171]
Upfield Park Street Jewell Rail over Early planning 2027[171]
Hurstbridge Ruthven Street Macleod Rail over Early planning 2027[26]
Werribee, Williamstown Hudsons Road Spotswood Rail over Early planning 2028[32][173]
Frankston Armstrongs Road Seaford Rail over Early planning 2029[25]
Frankston Groves Street Aspendale Rail under Early planning 2029[25]
Frankston Highett Road Highett Rail over Early planning 2029[25]
Frankston Latrobe Street Mentone Closed off Early planning 2029[25]
Frankston Station Street Seaford Rail over Early planning 2029[25]
Frankston Wickham Road Highett Rail over Early planning 2029[25]
Werribee, Williamstown Anderson Street Yarraville Closed off Early planning 2030[173]

New and rebuilt stations

There will be 51 railway stations rebuilt as part of the LXRP. Four stations are being added to the metropolitan network as part of suburban rail extensions delivered by the LXRP. Three of these stations, Hawkstowe, Middle Gorge and Mernda, were added as part of the Mernda rail extension, which extended the former South Morang line eight kilometres (5.0 mi) north to Mernda. The extension, announced by Labor at the 2014 state election, opened in 2018.[174][175] As part of the level crossing removals along the Pakenham line, a new station is being added at Pakenham East along with a short rail extension.[176] The LXRP also delivered a new infill station at Southland on the Frankston line.[177] In one case, the nearby Mont Albert and Surrey Hills railway stations on the Belgrave and Lilydale lines were merged and replaced with a brand new Union station located between them.[178][179]

Line(s) Group(s) Station Image Status Completion date
Glen Waverley Burnley Gardiner Open January 2016
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City McKinnon Open August 2016
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Bentleigh Open August 2016
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Ormond Open August 2016
Sunbury Northern Ginifer Open November 2016
Sunbury Northern St Albans Open November 2016
Belgrave, Lilydale Burnley Bayswater Open December 2016
Belgrave, Lilydale Burnley Heatherdale Open February 2017
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Southland (new) Open November 2017
Cranbourne, Pakenham Caulfield Noble Park Open February 2018
Cranbourne, Pakenham Caulfield Clayton Elevated Clayton railway station Open April 2018
Hurstbridge Clifton Hill Rosanna Open May 2018
Cranbourne, Pakenham Caulfield Carnegie Open June 2018
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Frankston Open June 2018
Cranbourne, Pakenham Caulfield Murrumbeena Open June 2018
Cranbourne, Pakenham Caulfield Hughesdale Open August 2018
Mernda Clifton Hill Hawkstowe (new) Open August 2018
Mernda Clifton Hill Mernda (new) Open August 2018
Mernda Clifton Hill Middle Gorge (new) Open August 2018
Mernda Clifton Hill Reservoir Open December 2019
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Carrum Open February 2020
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Mentone Open July 2020
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Cheltenham Open August 2020
Upfield Northern Coburg Open December 2020
Upfield Northern Moreland Open December 2020
Lilydale Burnley Lilydale Open November 2021
Lilydale Burnley Mooroolbark Open November 2021
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Bonbeach Open November 2021
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Chelsea Open November 2021
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Edithvale Open November 2021
Williamstown Northern and Cross-City North Williamstown Open December 2021
Cranbourne Caulfield Merinda Park Open February 2022
Pakenham Caulfield Hallam Open May 2022
Craigieburn Northern Glenroy Open May 2022
Mernda Clifton Hill Bell Bell station Open September 2022
Mernda Clifton Hill Preston Preston station on the Mernda line Open September 2022
Ballarat, Geelong V/Line Deer Park Open April 2023
Hurstbridge Clifton Hill Greensborough Open April 2023
Hurstbridge Clifton Hill Montmorency Open April 2023
Belgrave, Lilydale Burnley Union (new) Open May 2023
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Glen Huntly Open July 2023
Pakenham Caulfield Pakenham Under construction 2024
Pakenham Caulfield East Pakenham (new) Under construction 2024
Lilydale Burnley Croydon Under construction 2025
Mernda Clifton Hill Keon Park Under construction 2025
Pakenham Caulfield Narre Warren Under construction 2025
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Parkdale Under construction 2025
Lilydale Burnley Ringwood East Under construction 2025
Ballarat V/Line Melton Early planning 2026
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Mordialloc Early planning 2026
Upfield Northern Anstey Early planning 2027
Upfield Northern Brunswick Early planning 2027
Upfield Northern Jewell Early planning 2027
Werribee, Williamstown Northern and Cross-City Spotswood Early planning 2028
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Aspendale Early planning 2029
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Highett Early planning 2029
Frankston Caulfield and Cross-City Seaford Early planning 2029

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Laverton station is the closest station on the Werribee line express route to the Maidstone Street level crossing. The closest station geographically is Westona station located south of the level crossing on the Altona Loop.

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