Winter shutdowns to hit key train lines in Melbourne’s southeast

There’s bad news for commuters on three train lines in Melbourne’s southeast — it could be a painful trip to and from the city during a winter construction blitz.

It’s going to be a long trip into work for those on the Frankston, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. Picture: Tony Gough

Commuters in Melbourne’s southeast are in for more transport pain when a week-long winter shutdown hits three key rail lines.

From July 6 to 14, buses will replace trains between Flinders Street and Caulfield stations on the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Frankston lines.

The winter construction blitz has been timed to coincide with school holidays, with replacement services also extended out to Westall and Moorabbin over July 13 and 14.

It comes after weeks of major shutdowns over autumn to prepare Melbourne’s rail network for the Metro Tunnel.

Residents have at times faced nightmare commutes as their lines were shut down for one of the biggest maintenance and constructionprograms in the city’s history.

The entrance to the new Metro Tunnel at North Melbourne. Picture: David Crosling

Signalling and tracks have been improved to allow for high-capacity trains and a mammoth portal has been built to serve asthe eastern entrance for the Metro Tunnel.

Premier Daniel Andrews said it the government would continue to build on its momentum to deliver major projects across the city.

“Crews are working around the clock to put these massive machines together, which will dig the Metro Tunnel, untangle the city loop and deliver more trains across Melbourne,” he said.

We’re making significant progress. In fact, a number of these projects are in fact ahead of schedule.

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Premier Daniel Andrews visits the Metro Tunnel site in North Melbourne. Wednesday, June 5. 2019. Picture: David Crosling

Premier Daniel Andrews visits the Metro Tunnel site in North Melbourne. Picture: David Crosling

“Ultimately, if we don’t have some construction related congestion and disruption now, we’ll have nothing but disruption and congestion into the future.

“People now understand that without that disruption, we’ll never get the project built and we’ll never get that turn-up-and-gotransport system.”

The Premier made the announcement while touring the site of the new North Melbourne station in Arden.

The first major piece of a mammoth tunnel-boring machine has been assembled in the area and digging is expected to start by the end of the year, once more pieces are lowered into the ground.

Ms Allan said work was also ramping up on level-crossing removals at Carrum and Mernda.

“Soon these massive tunnel-boring machines will be digging underneath our city to run more trains more often,” she said.