All aboard: Peter Wilkinson from Rail Projects Victoria, state Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed and Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan at the nearly complete Murchison East station.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
VLocity trains will be running on the Shepparton line by the end of the year, with a critical passing loop and platform extensions at Nagambie, Murchison East and Mooroopna nearing completion.
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Another 53 level crossings need to be upgraded, with three completed so far.
Victorian Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan and state Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed inspected the Murchison East station on Monday.
The upgraded station includes a longer platform to accommodate modern VLocity trains, a sealed car park and additional track to allow trains to pass each other.
“VLocity trains can run for the first time on the Shepparton line, and also as part of the works to allow VLocity trains to run there is also the upgrade of 59 level crossings that needs to be undertaken,” Ms Allan said.
Ready to roll: The longer platform at Murchison East is ready for more modern VLocity trains.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
“This is all part of a staged and progressive build-up of train services for the Shepparton community; it's been a long campaign by the community, led by local independent member Susanna Sheed, to get more train services to get those extra train services that the Shepparton community deserves.”
Stage Two will add the modern VLocity trains by the end of 2022 while Stage Three will extend into 2023, building stabling facilities north of Shepparton and completing further track and signalling works, which will allow for nine daily return services.
Ms Allan said 33 local companies had been involved in the rail revival project.
“It's also a great boost for local jobs, as we have a real focus on making sure local contractors and suppliers get work as part of this exciting investment in rebuilding rail for regional communities,” she said.
Part of the upgrades is a new train detection system for the rail crossings.
The Wyndham St rail crossing works may be brought forward to enable the traffic and pedestrian lights installed as part of the Shepparton Art Museum precinct to be switched on sooner.
“The Shepparton Art Museum is obviously such a fabulous asset for Shepparton and it's great to hear that there are more and more people visiting, so we do want to work with the council to ensure that the operation of that crossing can be done a bit earlier,” Ms Allan said.
Ms Sheed said the massive investment would not only deliver faster, more frequent services, it would also drive workforce and education participation and tourism.
“We will have like a train every two hours every weekday going between Shepparton and Melbourne,” she said.
“It is two-way traffic that will really transform Shepparton, because of the investment in Shepparton at the hospital, at La Trobe University, TAFE, the new secondary college and the Shepparton Art Museum, all of these things will just come together to really build a tourism capacity but also really build on the educational capacity, and that's what has transformed Bendigo and Ballarat,” she said.
“That's what we wanted for Shepparton and that is what we're now getting.”
