State Budget: Hurstbridge line to be duplicated, more peak hour trains

A $547 million duplication of the Hurstbridge rail line will allow for more peak hour services. And there’s also good news for Greensborough bus commuters.

Labor MP's Vicki Ward, Colin Brooks and Danielle Green at Greensborough station. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Rail commuters on the congested Hurstbridge line can expect peak trains to run more often, while Greensborough station will finally get its own major bus interchange.

It comes after the State Government stayed true to it’s pre-election pledge of allocating $530 million to improve Nillumbik’s public transport network in the State Government’s 2019-20 State Budget.

And a further $17 million was added to the total, with the crucial money set to deliver Stage 2 of the Hurstbridge rail line upgrade and a Greensborough station rebuild.

Up to 3km of track will be duplicated between Greensborough and Eltham stations, while 1km of track will be duplicated between Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen stations.

The historic Eltham Trestle Bridge will remain untouched during works.

Eltham's historic 117-year-old timber trestle bridge at Alistair Knox Park will remain untouched during the rail duplication works.

Yan Yean state Labor MP Danielle Green said rail commuters could expect waiting times to be “slashed” during the peak hour rush.

“Trains will run every six to seven minutes from Greensborough station, every 10 minutes from Eltham and Montmorency and every 20 minutes from Hurstbridge, Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen, at the end of the line,” she said.

“With the investment in rail, combined with the bus interchange in Greensborough there will be a huge improvement to public transport in Diamond Valley.”

Ms Green said she was a regular commuter of Greensborough’s bus network and often had “to pinch herself” to remember the various bus stops and services scattered around the suburb’s transport hub.

“There are so many buses that run through Greensborough station, but there isn’t one location where you can get them all from,” she said.

“It will be a brand new station and will finally have its own bus interchange so instead of people waiting eight to 12 minutes to catch their buses and subsequent train, it will only take one to two minutes.”

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The State Government also promised to deliver more car park spaces at Greensborough and Eltham stations.

Greensborough rail commuter Terry Barnes said the Greensborough station carpark would fill up before 7.30am every morning.

“I always get someone to drop me off at because I know I won’t get a carpark,” he said.

“I’m 72 years old and have permanent nerve damage in my feet, so I can’t walk too far.”

Greensborough train station car park will get more spaces when the station is rebuilt.

Mr Barnes said there was a big demographic of elderly people in the area and a station upgraded was “vital”.

“It’s not the best station — a lot must be done to make it more accessible for the elderly and those with permanent mobility issues so it’s great that finally something will happen,” he said.

The State Government promised an express bus service from Eltham to the city during construction works.

The project is expected to create more than 950 jobs, with construction to start in 2020 and finish by 2022.

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