MELBOURNE’S NEW RAIL LINE
30 May 2017
Construction has begun on Melbourne’s newest rail line, the extension from South Morang to Mernda will help connect the growing hub of Melbourne’s south to the city centre.
Construction has officially commenced on the extension of the South Morang to Mernda rail line. The extension was welcomed by many in the city as the extended train services will serve to connect the heart of one of Victoria’s fastest growing areas to the city at large.
Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan joined Member for Yan Yean Danielle Green in Mernda to mark the start of works. Over the coming weeks, construction crews will establish work areas, remove vegetation and prepare the rail corridor for major construction to ramp up later this year.
“The community fought for this project and now we are delivering it – to bring frequent, reliable services to the heart of our growing community,” Member for Yan Yean Danielle Green said.
The $600 million Mernda Rail Extension will build eight kilometres of new, duplicated track and three state-of-the-art stations at Mernda, Hawkstowe and near Marymede Catholic College. When opened to the public in 2019, the stations are expected to be used by around 8000 passengers every day.
Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan said she believed the project will change people’s lives for the better.
“The project is fully funded, construction is underway and we’re not wasting a moment getting on with it,” she said in a statement.
The Victorian Government said the project will create up to 3000 jobs – 1200 directly during construction and as many as 1,800 indirectly in local businesses and industries supported by the project. It is also expected to support more than 70 ongoing jobs once trains are up and running.
Like every major Labor Government project, the Mernda Rail Extension will also provide employment for young workers and people re-skilling from other industries, with at least 10 percent of work carried out by trainees, apprentices and engineering cadets.
The project includes new walking and cycling paths, better bus connections, and train stabling in Mernda. There will also be extensive bike storage and up to 2000 new car spaces across the three new stations.
The Mernda Rail Extension is being delivered by the Level Crossing Removal Authority, which is also getting rid of 50 of Victoria’s most dangerous and congested level crossings.
