Level crossing removal community update

The Sunbury Line is level crossing-free a year ahead of schedule, making journeys faster and more reliable for commuters, cyclists and pedestrians.

With the removal of the Watsons Road, Diggers Rest level crossing in late November, the Sunbury Line is now level crossing-free from the city to Sunbury.

Since 2016 the Level Crossing Removal Project has removed 8 level crossings and built 2 new stations along the Sunbury Line.

Some of the level crossings removed on the Sunbury Line have been the most dangerous in Melbourne. This includes Main Road and Furlong Road in St Albans, where multiple fatalities and near misses were recorded in the decade prior to their removal in 2016.

The removal of all 8 Sunbury Line level crossings has improved safety and eased congestion for the 108,000 motorists that used the crossings each weekday, eliminating 4 hours of cumulative boom gate down time in the morning peak alone.

Trains can now travel almost 100km across Melbourne’s rail network without any boom gates, with every set of gates now gone from the Pakenham, Cranbourne and Sunbury lines.

With no boom gates on these lines, Sunbury Line Upgrade works complete and Metro Tunnel open, journeys will be safer for drivers, passengers, bike riders and pedestrians.

From 1 February, the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines will run exclusively through the Metro Tunnel, supported by a new timetable and more than 1,000 new weekly services added on the Sunbury Line.

Benefits delivered across the Sunbury Line

• 8 level crossings removed
• 2 new stations
• Eased congestion for 108,000 motorists
• More than 4.5 km of new walking and cycling paths
• More than 183,000 trees, shrubs and grasses planted

Sunbury Line level crossing removal map

Three new road bridges in Melbourne’s north west

Trains are now running on the level crossing-free Sunbury Line after major construction in Calder Park and Diggers Rest to remove 4 level crossings on the line.

In Calder Park, the level crossing at Calder Park Drive was removed by building a road bridge over the rail line. Traffic improvements in the area mean we have now closed the dangerous level crossing at Holden Road, making local roads safer. Vehicles now use the new Calder Park Drive road bridge or detour via Melton Highway or Plumpton Road to access Holden Road.

In Diggers Rest, we delivered new road bridges at Old Calder Highway and Watsons Road. Since the opening of Golden Way, drivers can now safely travel over the rail line on the new road bridge at Old Calder Highway. The new road bridge connects Old Calder Highway with Diggers Rest-Coimadai Road and permanently closes the level crossing to vehicles.

New open space for Diggers Rest and Calder Park

Calder Park residents welcomed new open space, designed in partnership with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elders.

Inspired by the history of the area, the new space includes seating, landscaping, welcome markers with the Woi-wurrung word for welcome, Wominjeka, and benches made from rammed earth.

Elements of Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung history of the Victorian Volcanic Plains – on which Calder Park is located – are featured, adding a rich layer of storytelling and honouring the ongoing place of First Peoples in the area.

A contemporary design has been etched into the ground representing a Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung gathering place, as well as footprints from both the extinct megafauna Diprotodon optatum, the largest-known marsupial to have ever lived, and the critically endangered plains-wanderer, a local species of wading bird.

At Diggers Rest, we’ve built two new community spaces to the east and west of Diggers Rest Station which include new pathways and seating surrounded by garden beds which connect the station entry and car park, as well as a new bike repair station near the existing bike parking facility (Parkiteer).

Across both community spaces and the project area, we’ve planted more than 35,000 diverse and native plants and trees that build upon and connect with the established plants in the area.

Sunbury Line

Level Crossing Removal Projects

The entire Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham corridor is now boom gate free – ready for more trains, more often enabled by the Metro Tunnel.

Trains will be able to travel almost 100km from East Pakenham or Cranbourne to Sunbury without a single level crossing.

That’s 35 sets of boom gates now gone for good, easing congestion for more than half a million motorists each work day and eliminating a total 23 hours of boom gate down time in the morning peak.

The Sunbury Line is the second line to become level crossing free. We now look forward to the same milestone being achieved for the Frankston Line in 2029 and the Werribee Line in 2030.

Celebrating with the community

In October and November, we held community events to thank locals for their patience while we worked to remove the level crossings at Calder Park Drive, Holden Road, Old Calder Highway and Watsons Road.

Building Big for Melbourne’s North West

Sunshine Superhub

Major changes to untangle the rail network around Sunshine Station commence next year - significantly increasing capacity for Melbourne's growing West, creating a Sunshine Superhub.

These upgrades form Stage 1 of Melbourne Airport Rail and pave the way for electrification to Melton.

A program of works across more than 6km from West Footscray to Albion will include:

• 2 new dedicated regional platforms and an extended concourse at Sunshine Station
• new rail bridges
• new and upgraded tracks
• new signalling technology
• separated metropolitan, regional and freight lines
• a new Albion Station.

Works on the Sunshine Superhub will commence in early 2026 and be complete in 2030.

Metro Tunnel

The Metro Tunnel is open, one year ahead of schedule – creating a new rail corridor under the city centre, taking pressure off the busy City Loop and doubling the size of Melbourne's underground rail network forever.

The Metro Tunnel is the biggest transformation of Melbourne's rail network in 40 years, providing access to 5 brand new stations, slashing travel times and connecting people to jobs, hospitals, universities and arts precincts.

By taking pressure off the City Loop, we can continue to add more services to the rail network over the years ahead.

High-capacity signalling has been rolled out through the Metro Tunnel, allowing trains to run more closely together, unlocking more frequent train services for the Sunbury Line.

Sunbury Line commuters will also benefit from a new timetable and more than 1,000 new weekly services from early 2026.

To celebrate the opening of the Metro Tunnel, public transport in Victoria will be free every weekend until 1 February 2026.

From 1 February all services on the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury Line will travel exclusively through the new Metro Tunnel. The Big Switch will launch 1,000 new weekly services on the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury Line.