By Mitchell Clarke
Pakenham’s level crossing removals will be fast-tracked and the metropolitan line will be extended to build a brand new Pakenham East station, under a $15 billion spend to improve the train line.
Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan joined Bass MP Jordan Crugnale at Pakenham station on Wednesday 2 December to announce a two-kilometre extension of the line out to the booming Pakenham East.
Early works will begin next year to remove the dangerous and congested level crossings at McGregor Road, Main Street and Racecourse Road. The existing Pakenham station will be replaced with a super-station, and a brand new station will be built in Pakenham East.
@JacintaAllanMP joins Bass MP Jordan Crugnale and @CardiniaShire mayor Brett Owen in explaining Pakenham line works announced today. @PakenhamGazette pic.twitter.com/WAGwE33T8m
— Mitch Clarke (@24mitchclarke) December 2, 2020
The new station will include separate turn back tracks for Metro trains and dedicated V/Line tracks in a bid to alleviate the current major bottleneck.
Minister Jacinta Allan was forced to hit the brakes at the Racecourse Road level crossing as she made her way into town.
“I must confess, every time I’ve been to Pakenham, I’ve been stuck at a level crossing, she laughed.
“I felt the frustration of being stuck at a level crossing but that’s nothing compared to people who have to navigate it every single day, and that’s why we’re removing them.
“Pakenham is one of our state’s fastest growing communities and we’re delivering the infrastructure to keep pace with its growth.”
The original election commitment was to remove the three crossings and build a new station, but Ms Allan said discussions for line upgrades continued.
“We saw there was a great opportunity to do even more than what we’d committed to in 2018, so this package becomes three level crossings, two train stations and two kilometres of extra track, and that really is a great outcome on a number of fronts,” she said.
“It was pretty clear from the 2018 election that Pakenham wanted to get rid of these level crossings. I think we can all see in our minds the huge benefits that are going to come from removing them.”
McGregor Road, Main Street and Racecourse Road will be replaced by an elevated rail bridge, meaning works will be carried out at once.
“It is a package of three and the works will happen in conjunction with each other … That’s one of the advantages, doing them as a job lot gets them done more quickly,” Ms Allan said.
Bass MP Jordan Crugnale said the project was a “real win for our community”.
“This is just so brilliant. We’ve all got a story around level crossings and we all want them removed,” she said.
“This is going to be transformational. With all boom gates gone, a brand new station at Pakenham East and a revamped Pakenham superstation, we’ll have communities connected for the first time.”
Cardinia Shire Council mayor Brett Owen said the major projects aligned with council’s plans to address future growth.
“With these level crossings in place, Pakenham is constrained, so we’re rapt with this news,” he said.
“I think it’s really great foresight to build the new Pakenham East station before new residents start to move in to that area. This improved public transport network will also obviously mean that people can have greater access to employment and education opportunities.”
The project will begin in early 2021, with Pakenham scheduled to be boom gate free by early 2024.
