Fifty extra train services are now running on the Cranbourne line each week, another dangerous and congested level crossing is a thing of the past, and a new railway station is open to passengers a year ahead of schedule as part of the promised Cranbourne Line Duplication.

The new Merinda Park Station is now ready for passengers and will see extra train services stopping here each week as part of the Cranbourne Line Duplication, which is boosting service frequency and reliability for rail passengers, while getting rid of level crossings to unclog traffic and make roads safer. The new station also includes a new pedestrian under-pass, allowing locals to safely cross the rail line.

A new timetable starts today, thanks to now complete 8km of track duplication between Cranbourne and Dandenong, meaning trains every 10 minutes on average in the morning peak for passengers travelling from Cranbourne, Lynbrook and Merinda Park stations.

It also comes as locals and businesses in Dandenong South celebrate the removal of the 57^th level crossing, with the boom gates at Greens Road gone for good and trains running over two new 600-metre rail bridges. Around 2,000 crew have clocked up roughly 170,000 hours – working day and night since early January to complete the track duplication, level crossing removal and new station.

More than 22km of Australian steel, 20,000 tonnes of ballast and 16,000 concrete sleepers have been used to duplicate the single line track between Cranbourne and Dandenong, including building two new rail bridges over Eumemmering Creek and Abbotts Road, with the duplication paving the way for a future rail extension to Clyde.

Along with the Cranbourne Line Duplication, the Metro Tunnel will create capacity for 121,000 extra passengers every week on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines during peak periods and slash travel times by up to 50 minutes a day.

Southeast road users can also look forward to significant road upgrades and improved travel times, with construction progressing well on Hallam North and Heatherton Road, Lathams Road, Golf Links Road and Western Port Highway.

The project at Greens Road will complement the nearby Monash Freeway Upgrade, which will boast an additional 36km of new lanes between Warrigal Road and Cardinia Road. Once completed in 2022, the upgrade will improve capacity for the 470,000 motorists who use the freeway every day.

For more information about the new timetable or projects in the southeast visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au

Quotes attributable to Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews

“We’ve promised to remove dangerous and congested level crossings, so you can spend less time in traffic and more time with your loved ones – and we’re smashing our targets.”

“Fifteen level crossings are being removed on the Cranbourne line, with 13 already gone for good, and two more will make the line level crossing-free by 2025, changing the way people live, work and travel.”

Quote attributable to Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan

“Whether it’s delivering the Line Upgrade, removing two more level crossings on the Cranbourne Line to make it level crossing free, the Metro Tunnel or suburban roads – we’re delivering our promises to slash travel times in the Southeast.”

Quote attributable to Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll

“We promised to build the infrastructure that allows us to run more services – and I’m glad that we’ve been able to deliver 10-minute services in the peak.”

Quote attributable to Member for Cranbourne Pauline Richards

“Our community has been counting down for these extra train services, the removal of the level crossing and the new station at Merinda Park, and I’m thrilled they’re now able to enjoy these tremendous benefits.”

Quote attributable to Member for Dandenong Gabrielle Williams

“It’s great to see the Greens Road Level Crossing finally gone for good, with the new rail bridges untangling this notorious bottleneck and freeing up traffic in our area.”