Dangerous and congested level crossings are disappearing fast with 74 now gone for good from across Melbourne.
The level crossing free Webb Street, Narre Warren was the latest to go with trains running on a new one-kilometre rail bridge on Monday.
The boom gates in the heart of Narre Warren’s shopping district were down for up to 33% of the morning peak, causing traffic chaos for 13,200 vehicles which went through every day. Since 2012 there have been 19 near misses at the level crossing.
Work will continue on the new Narre Warren Station with trains running express through the station until late March 2024 while the new station is built. Shuttle buses will help move passengers between Narre Warren, Hallam and Berwick stations.
When it opens, the modern station will feature 2 accessible elevated platforms, an air-conditioned waiting room, secure bike storage, a new kiosk and landscaped forecourt with seating, as well as improved pedestrian connections to Narre Warren village.
It will also have bigger bus bays and a signalised pedestrian crossing on Webb Street, a new drop-off and taxi zone, upgrades to existing car parks, CCTV and improved lighting.
The Webb Street level crossing is the 14th to be removed on the Pakenham Line, and all level crossings will be gone for good on the line, making it boom gate free in 2025.
When every Pakenham Line level crossing is removed it will transform the way people live, work and travel in Melbourne’s booming south-eastern suburbs, provide more reliable journeys for drivers and improve safety by permanently separating vehicles and trains.
Work is also ramping up on nearby level crossing removals in Pakenham, where a 2km rail bridge and 2 new stations are being built and opening to passengers next year.
These projects, together with the Metro Tunnel when it opens in 2025, will provide capacity for 121,000 passengers every week on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines during peak periods. It will also give people access to 5 new underground stations in Melbourne’s CBD and surrounds.
We are removing 110 level crossings by 2030, with 74 already gone for good.
