The last two boom gates have been removed from the Lilydale Line. making it the first rail line in Melbourne to be level crossing free. The Victorian Government claims this feat was achieved a year ahead of schedule.
Acting Premier Ben Carroll and Minister for Transport Infrastructure Danny Pearson today announced the level crossings at Dublin Road in Ringwood East and Coolstore Road in Croydon are gone for good.
Since 2017, nine level crossings have been removed and six new stations have been built along the Lilydale Line, which is the second busiest line on the network and is used by more than 72,000 passengers each weekday.
Getting rid of these crossings means boom gates are no longer down for more than five hours in the morning peak, reducing frustrating delays for the more than 123,000 vehicles every morning.
The new accessible East Ringwood Station will soon open to passengers and features lifts to each platform and parking for 460 vehicles, while the new premium Croydon Station is set to open later this month.
Serious accidents and fatalities had been previously recorded at several of the Lilydale Line level crossing sites, including Union Road in Surrey Hills which was fast-tracked for removal after the deaths of two people.
Level crossings removed from the line include Blackburn Road, Heatherdale Road, Manchester Road, Maroondah Highway, Mont Albert Road, Union Road, Cave Hill Road, Coolstore Road and Dublin Road, Ringwood East.
These projects have delivered almost seven kilometres of new walking and cycling paths as well as new and upgraded open spaces – with more than 260,000 trees, shrubs and grasses planted.
The Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury lines will be Melbourne’s next rail lines to be boom gate free next year, followed by the Frankston Line in 2029 and the Werribee Line in 2030.
