Trains will be off the tracks throughout most of October, adding as much as 40 minutes onto the daily commute.
MetroTrains will replace trains with buses between Sunbury and Sunshine stations from October 4 to 30 as level crossing works ramp up. Services will range from limited express, to express, to stopping all stations.
A construction blitz at level crossings in St Albans and Ginifer will also close Furlong Road’s crossing from October 12 to 27, and the Main Road crossing from November 4 to 28.
About 700 construction workers will toil around the clock as part of the blitz. Existing station buildings at St Albans and Ginifer will be demolished and new stations and rail equipment installed during this time.
Redundant signals, tracks and overhead wiring will also be removed.
The new St Albans train station building was lifted into place in early August by a 200-tonne crane. The prefabricated station building came across the city in segments on a convoy of six trucks on August 1.
News of the train shutdown drew a huge response on
Star Weekly’s Facebook page last week, but generated few negative comments.
“Short-term pain for long-term gain,” one wrote, while others were concerned about a lack of replacement services.
“Buses to Sunshine will be packed,” one wrote.
Metro spokesperson Marcus Williams said as many as 70 replacement buses would be deployed during peak travel times each day.
“We apologise to our customers for the disruption during these important works, and remind them to allow extra time for their journey,” he said. “Travel times on the Sunbury line may be extended by up to 40 minutes. Train replacement buses will operate at approximately 10-minute frequency during peak times, and at similar frequency to train services throughout the timetable.”
The fully redeveloped Ginifer and St Albans train stations are expected to be up and running by the middle of next year.
Despite the changes, the Sunbury line has been among the city’s most reliable and on time metropolitan train lines over the past year, with 99 per cent of services running, on average, in the 12 months to July. And PTV data shows that 92 per cent of these ran on time.
