Melbourne to get further A$530 million improvements on the Hurstbridge Rail Line
Commuters on the Hurstbridge line will have more trains, more seats and fewer delays with a re-elected Andrews Labour Government to continue its massive upgrade of the Hurstbridge line.
The Andrews Labour Government said it would deliver locals in Melbourne’s north-east more peak hour train services and less time stuck at boom gates, and we have.
The first stage of the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade has been delivered – six months early and on budget. This includes the new Rosanna Station, duplicated track between Heidelberg and Rosanna and the removal of the dangerous level crossings at Alphington and Rosanna.
There’s more to do and only Labour will deliver the next stage of the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade to give local commuters more train services and a more comfortable commute.
The $530 million project will include a brand new train station at Greensborough and the duplication of three kilometres of track between Greensborough and Montmorency, and 1.5 kilometres of track between Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen to allow more train services during the morning peak.
This will allow trains to run every six and a half minutes at Greensborough, every 10 minutes at Eltham and Montmorency, and every 20 minutes at Hurstbridge, Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen – as well as two extra Hurstbridge express services.
Locals on the Labour Government’s new Mernda line will also get five extra train services during the morning peak, with a major upgrade of the Clifton Hill junction where the Mernda and Hurstbridge lines connect.
Labour will also protect the Eltham Trestle Bridge – the last remaining timber bridge on Melbourne’s electric train network – which has local heritage protection and is an important part of the area’s character.
The Liberals will leave this bridge to rot and demolish the nearby childcare centre and football club with their under-cooked and under-costed promise to upgrade the Hurstbridge line.
Only Labour will protect this important piece of Melbourne’s history with planning work to be carried out for a long-term solution as part of the project.
Stage two of the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade will create more than 950 jobs, with construction to start in 2020 and finish by 2022.
Premier Daniel Andrews, said: “We said we’d upgrade the Hurstbridge line and remove dangerous and congested level crossings at Rosanna and Alphington and we did – but there’s more to do.”
“Only Labour will deliver the next stage of the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade with a new Greensborough Station and more trains, more often.”
Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan, said: “The former Liberal Government promised new train lines but didn’t deliver a single kilometre of track – now they’re promising a half-baked upgrade of the Hurstbridge line with rubbery figures that don’t add up.”
Member for Eltham Vicki Ward, said: “As a fifteen year old hopping on Red Rattlers at Eltham I wanted to do something to make the Hurstbridge line better. It’s taken me a few decades but finally our line will offer the frequency of services that are expected and needed in a 21st century city.”
