Making the Werribee Line level crossing-free

We are building big in Melbourne’s west by removing level crossings, building a new Spotswood Station and making the Werribee Line boom gate-free.

Level crossing removals in Melbourne’s west are being fast-tracked, paving the way for more trains to cater for booming population growth.

With 4 level crossings already removed on the Werribee Line we are removing the remaining 5 to make the line level crossing free.

The Werribee Line will continue to be transformed as we get on with building big in the west. Level crossing removals in Altona, Newport and Spotswood are being fast-tracked and a new Spotswood Station is set to open by 2028.

We’re removing level crossings at:

• Hudsons Road, Spotswood
• Maddox Road, Newport
• Maidstone Street, Altona
• Anderson Street, Yarraville
• Champion Road, Newport.

Fast-tracking level crossing removals

A new elevated Spotswood Station will be delivered as part of the Hudsons Road level crossing removal by 2028.

The level crossing at Maidstone Street, Altona will be removed by 2027, with a road bridge to be built at this location.

We’re elevating the rail line to remove the level crossing at Maddox Road, Newport in 2026.

Community consultation and further investigations will inform design improvements to the local traffic network to maintain connectivity between Newport and Williamstown, with a closure the preferred solution for the removal of the level crossing at Champion Road by 2026.

The dangerous and congested level crossing at Anderson Street, Yarraville, is not feasible to remove and will be closed by 2030.

Why these crossings need to go

• About 34,000 vehicles travel through these crossings each day
• Boom gates are down for up to 56 minutes of the morning peak (7am to 9am)
• Up to 48 trains during the morning peak (7am to 9am)
• One fatality and four serious injuries since 2006, 37 near misses since 2016
• Werribee Line level crossing-free by 2030.

Project benefits

We’re removing all level crossings on the Werribee Line and building a new Spotswood Station by 2030.

• The Werribee Line will be crossing-free by 2030
• Allows more trains to run more often
• Eases local road congestion
• The new Spotswood Station will have better facilities for passengers including more lighting and CCTV.

Level crossing removals and new stations in the west.

New Spotswood Station

A new station will be built at Spotswood as part of the crossing removal by 2028.

The new station will be elevated to sit on the new rail bridge and will have better facilities for passengers.

We look forward to speaking with the community about what they would like to see as part of the new station in the future.

In the meantime, visit our Project page to see lots of examples of other new stations that we have built.

Anderson Street, Yarraville level crossing.

Developing the best designs

Designs for all level crossing removals are assessed and developed by teams of technical experts including engineers and construction specialists.

A design that may suit one area may not necessarily suit another.

Maidstone Street, Altona

A new road bridge at Maidstone Street in Altona will provide the best outcome for the community and local businesses.

This level crossing will be removed by 2027.

This design will:

• support the busy industrial area and get vehicles to Kororoit Creek Road
• avoid impacts to important utilities.

Maddox Road and Champion Road, Newport

We’re elevating the rail line to remove the level crossing at Maddox Road, Newport.

Community consultation and further investigations will inform design improvements to the local traffic network to maintain connectivity between Newport and Williamstown, with a closure the preferred solution for the removal of the level crossing at Champion Road.

The Metro Tunnel, which is on track to open in 2025 a year earlier than scheduled, will allow for more trains more often on the Werribee Line.

Freight trains through Newport and Spotswood are also forecast to increase. This would mean boom gates are down for up to 70% of peak periods making the level crossings even more dangerous and congested. Removing these level crossings will allow more trains to run, reduce road congestion, cut travel times and improve safety.

Both the Maddox Road and Champion Road level crossings will be removed by 2026.

Hudsons Road, Spotswood

A new rail bridge at Hudsons Road to remove the level crossing. This will also include a brand new elevated Spotswood Station.

This level crossing will be removed by 2028.

This design will:

• create more opportunity for open space
• allow for better walking and cycling paths
• reduce road closures during construction.

Anderson Street, Yarraville

Removing the level crossing at Anderson Street in Yarraville presents a set of unique design challenges, including the narrow and curved rail corridor and the density of buildings near the crossing.

Rail or road bridges and underpasses are not feasible at this site.

We’ll close the level crossing to vehicles and build a new pedestrian underpass – helping the many pedestrians and cyclists who cross the rail line everyday.

This level crossing will be closed by 2030.

New rail bridge at Werribee Street, Werribee.

Next steps

Community consultation is an important part of every level crossing removal project.

Community and stakeholder feedback helps us refine the design so we can best meet local community needs.

Our teams are out talking with the community about the Maddox and Champion roads level crossing removals now. For more information visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/ levelcrossing-removal-project/projects/werribee

The other projects are still in the very early development stages. We’ll be out speaking to those communities about how to get involved, project timelines and further site investigations in the future.

Site investigations

We are starting site investigations to gather information about the local area and support design development.

These involve monitoring local traffic, surveying utilities and assessing local flora and fauna.

Residents and locals will see workers around the level crossings and rail corridor. These investigations involve crews monitoring and observing the sites and should not be disruptive to the local community.

Building Big in the west

We are removing every level crossings on the Werribee and Sunbury lines and in Melton.

The Metro Tunnel is on track to open a year early in 2025 allowing more trains more often on the Werribee and Sunbury lines.

The Melton Line Upgrade will allow for 50% more passengers on the Melton line.

The West Gate Tunnel is due to open in 2025 and will free up traffic on the West Gate Bridge.