Powley Parade, Watsonia

What is a road rail access pad?

Access to the rail corridor is critical along the Hurstbridge Line to ensure Metro Trains can undertake scheduled and emergency maintenance works. An access pad ensures work crews can safely drive vehicles and machinery directly onto the tracks.

These access locations are placed strategically throughout the whole rail network.

Why a road rail access pad in this location?

Often, crews and vehicles access the rail corridor via a level crossing in order to carry out works.

As we're removing the Ruthven Street level crossing by building a rail bridge over the road, a new access location in Watsonia is required.

Metro Trains requires the Level Crossing Removal Project to formalise the current access on Powley Parade as part of the Ruthven Street project.

The works to formalise the access pad will take place in 2027. Before works begin, we’ll let impacted residents know.

What is the road rail access pad used for?

Metro Trains and, from time to time, government infrastructure projects, will need to access the rail corridor for maintenance works.

Metro Trains is often required to undertake reactive, or emergency works within very short timeframes to minimise disruption to the network.

That’s why it’s important to have multiple access points along the Hurstbridge Line where vehicles and machinery can enter and exit the rail corridor quickly and safely.

Road rail access map

Were alternative locations for a road rail access pad and laydown area explored? If so, what was the outcome?

The choice of location for a road rail access pad and laydown area was determined by Metro Trains and was based on several critical factors including:

• location relative to existing road rail access pads
• safety
• location must have sufficient space for a range of vehicles to enter, exit and manoeuvre
• environmental limitations (trees, ecological no-go zones, and topography).

All these factors were considered when Powley Parade, Watsonia was identified as the most suitable location for the road rail access pad to offset the removal the access provided at the Ruthven Street level crossing.

How often will this site be used by Metro Trains?

Metro Trains typically undertakes planned and unplanned emergency maintained works.

Unplanned works occur when a fault or emergency occurs on the rail network, and it is impossible to predict how often these will occur. Emergency works can occur on the network at any time, sometimes with little to no notice. When we know works are occurring ahead of time, Metro Trains will endeavour to provide notice to residents.

For information about Metro Trains planned and unplanned works, visit Transport Victoria or call 1800 800 007.

More information

• Call us 24/7 on 1800 105 105
• Email contact@levelcrossings.vic.gov.au
• Subscribe to the Ruthven Street, Macleod email updates
• Send us a private message on our Level Crossing Removal Project Facebook page