Hundreds of locals in Melbourne’s outer east took advantage of sunny skies on the weekend to gather and celebrate their new transport hubs in Croydon and Ringwood East.
The celebration follows major works to build the new Croydon Station and Ringwood East Station, and to remove the dangerous and congested level crossings at Dublin Road, Ringwood East, and Coolstore Road, Croydon, making the Lilydale Line the first rail line to be boom gate free, a year ahead of schedule.
Festivities at each station precinct included roving musicians, nursery and goody bag giveaways, Spin and Win vouchers to local shops and services, a sausage sizzle and children’s activities, including face painting, a petting zoo and miniature train.
The completed Croydon Transport Hub features a rail bridge, premium Croydon Station, 14-bay bus interchange, two car parks, three new road connections, shared use paths and landscaping featuring more than 70,000 trees, shrubs and grasses planted across the precinct.
In Ringwood East, vehicles and pedestrians have been safely separated from trains by lowering the rail line under Dublin Road, while the new Ringwood East Station is now fully accessible and has more than 467 car parking spaces, landscaped with thousands of native trees, plants and grasses.
Across Melbourne, we are removing 110 level crossings by 2030, with 85 now gone for good, boosting safety and easing congestion.
