A new station in Tarneit's west FAQs

15 November 2024

Below are a series of commonly asked questions about the new station in Tarneit's west project.

Community engagement is open on Engage Victoria until 11.59pm, Sunday 15 December 2024.

When it opens in 2026, the new station will include a four-bay bus interchange, up to 400 commuter car spaces, and an accessible pedestrian underpass.

The station will also feature a welcoming and landscaped precinct, equipped with seating, separated walking and cycling pathways, bike hoops and secure bike storage.

It’s on the V/Line Geelong Line, between Wyndham Vale Station and Tarneit Station.

The name of the new station has not yet been confirmed.

We are inviting the community to help us choose an official name for the new station in Tarneit’s west. You can view the shortlisted names for the station and provide feedback by completing our station naming survey on Engage Victoria.

There are statutory rules that govern how places are named in Victoria and the process for naming them. The official name of the new station in Tarneit’s west will be subject to the required approvals. We will review community feedback and determine the final name from the list of five proposed names.

The final designs will be available to view in 2025.

Construction is scheduled to start in 2025 with the new station opening in 2026.

We’re building 400 parking spaces on the south side of the new train station in Tarneit’s west, as well as a new bus interchange, pathways and cycling infrastructure.

Yes, the south side is the best location for commuter parking as the south is where the vehicle access will be located, via a connection from Leakes Road. Furthermore, the south side is the location of the bus interchange.

The area around the station precinct is currently empty land that is privately owned and earmarked for future residential development. The delivery of the residential development in the surrounding land is expected to take place in the south sooner than it takes place in the north, therefore the south is where the residential population will grow much faster.

It is worth noting that space to the north of the station has been safeguarded for future additional parking spaces, a second bus interchange, and a vehicle entry point. Access and services on the north side will be planned pending future government commitment and funding, as well as the future development of the residential development land.

10 accessible spaces will be provided on the south side of the station, near the main station entry.

A total of 5 pick up/drop off spaces will be provided on the south side of the station, near the main station entry.

The platforms will have both ramp and stair access on both sides of the rail line. The north of the station can be accessed by pedestrians via the underpass.

People with disability or mobility requirements will be able to use the ramps that lead to the platforms.

To accommodate a wide open underpass with good sightlines, the best location is at the end of the platforms on the western side.

This location aligns to the location of the future town centre, as reflected in the Tarneit North Precinct Structure Plan and the surrounding development. Furthermore, the location aligns with the future precinct cross-corridor connections and contributes to cycling/walkability in the precinct.

The designs do not preclude future upgrades to the precinct, including additional pedestrian access across the rail corridor.

The Route 182 bus, Flexiride bus (DTP’s on-demand bus service), and rail replacement coaches (when required) will use the new bus interchange.

The design of the station prioritises community safety taking into consideration the range of users that will be moving through the precinct. Safety features include:

a well-built, well-lit and accessible pedestrian underpass for passengers to cross under the rail line easily. The underpass and the pathways will have good open sight lines
the car park with marked pedestrian zones (marked ‘lanes’ in the car park that are reserved for pedestrians moving in key north-south, east-west directions). This supports the safe movements of all car park users
Protective Services Officer facility on site. Security officers will be in place daily between 6pm and last train, and overnight on Friday and Saturday nights
CCTV throughout the precinct
lighting throughout the precinct
public address system.

Yes, we’ll celebrate local flora and fauna through a landscaped entry space.

We’ll plant a selection of native and non-native flowering plants, ground cover, and trees across the station precinct. We are asking the community about their landscaping preferences in our community survey.

We’ll build separated walking and cycling pathways through the precinct, connecting to both existing and future local pathways. A well-lit, 6m wide underpass will enable pedestrians to cover under the rail line easily and safely.

We will include 30 bike hoops in the precinct, with 15 located on each side. There are 26 spaces for bikes in the parkiteer.

The location of the parkiteer, on the western side of the precinct, complements the future connections to the Strategic Cycling Corridor, which passes through the station precinct.

The new station in Tarneit’s west is classified as a regional station, therefore these items are not included in the scope of the project. However, the station design doesn’t preclude them being introduced in the future.

Yes, the new platforms will be long enough for nine-car V/Locity trains.

Any timetable changes will be announced closer to the completion of the project in 2026.

We are planning for the future of rail services through Tarneit as part of the design for the new station.

Considering the proposed V/Line track duplication and electrification in future years, the station design will be able to support additional tracks that may be required, as well as any adjustments to the platforms.

Furthermore, space to the north of the station has been safeguarded for additional parking spaces, a second bus interchange, and vehicle access point.

This project will not preclude further upgrades to the station and to the Geelong Line in the future.

It is essential we get on with delivering this project that will serve one of Melbourne’s fastest growing regions and alleviate the pressure on the existing Tarneit Station.

Planning approvals are required to conduct project works associated with the new station in Tarneit West.

This process is commonly used for infrastructure projects and has been used for previous level crossing removal projects across Victoria.

Planning approval for the project will be sought under Clause 52.03 (Level Crossing Removal Project) of the Victoria Planning Provisions.

Planning approved the introduction of a new particular provision – Clause 52.03 (‘Level Crossing Removal Project’) – to the Victoria Planning Provisions and all planning schemes across Victoria.

Planning approval for the new station in Tarneit West (the Project) will proceed under this provision.

Clause 52.03 removed the need for separate Planning Scheme Amendments or planning permits for each Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) project. It established a standardised and more efficient planning approval process for the LXRP.

Clause 52.03 supports the efficient delivery of the Victorian Government’s commitment to remove 110 dangerous and congested level crossings, and upgrade rail corridors, across metropolitan Melbourne to support growth in capacity and improve the efficiency and safety of the road, rail and pedestrian network.

You can submit feedback, make a submission and view the project boundary map at Engage Victoria.

Submissions close at 11.59pm Sunday XXX 2024.

Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) is required to:

undertake community consultation and allow community and stakeholders to make submissions in relation to the project via a survey;
prepare a public consultation summary report explaining how feedback was considered and responded to;
prepare an Environmental Management Framework (EMF); and
create a plan showing the boundary of the area where works will occur (project boundary map).

LXRP is not required to request a Planning Scheme Amendment to enable this project; an Incorporated Document will not be prepared.

The proposed approval will apply to land necessary for the project as well as any adjacent land required for construction, temporary car parking, or access to the rail corridor. It allows the project to progress without the need for a series of individual planning permits.

You can find the project boundary map on the planning approvals submission page at Engage Victoria.

No. While the planning approvals process has changed, Wyndham City Council will continue to provide input into the Project. It is a requirement of LXRP to consult with councils and to include their feedback into a consultation summary report submitted to the Minister for Planning. We will also seek Council input into the Environmental Management Framework, which is required as part of the new provision.

No. The provision requires LXRP to consult with communities in a similar manner to what has taken place on other level crossing removal projects. All community feedback received by LXRP during the planning consultation process remains valid and will be included in the consultation summary report to be submitted to the Minister for Planning. You can make a submission to the planning survey at Engage Victoria.

Submissions close at 11.59pm Sunday XX 2024.

Yes. Clause 52.03 retains appropriate requirements for the management of potential environmental, amenity and other impacts of project construction. LXRP will be required to prepare an Environment Management Framework in consultation with Wyndham City Council that includes an overarching framework of measures to reduce and manage environmental and amenity effects during construction of a project.

Yes. Clause 52.03 requires all native vegetation removed, destroyed or lopped for a project to be reported and offset in accordance with the Guidelines for removal, destruction or lopping of native vegetation (Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, December 2017).

Clause 52.03 requires that where construction of a project in a local Heritage Overlay would normally require a planning permit, a heritage impact report, site photographs and site plans and elevations must be prepared to the satisfaction of the Minister for Planning. State heritage listed places are exempt from this requirement and are instead subject to a separate process under the Heritage Act 2017.

If you have any queries about this new planning process or the Project in general, please email contact@levelcrossings.vic.gov.au or call us on 1800 105 105.