The contract to deliver the $650m Melton Line Upgrade has been awarded

The contract to deliver the Melton Line Upgrade in Victoria has been awarded and early works are due to commence next month. 

John Holland, Kellogg Brown & Root, Metro Trains Melbourne and V/Line have been awarded the contract to build the $650 million project, which is jointly funded by the Australian and Victorian Governments. 

“The Australian and Victorian Labor Governments are working together to upgrade our transport infrastructure and ensure our rail networks are reliable and resilient for Melbourne’s growing west,” Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said. 

“We’re getting on with delivering the transport projects that matter to hardworking families in Melbourne’s west – making train travel faster, safer and more reliable for thousands of passengers every day,” VIC Minister for Transport Infrastructure and Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams said. 

The Melton Line Upgrade will help boost capacity by 50 per cent by enabling longer trains to run on the line, improving journeys for passengers in the growing west. 

In addition, the upgrade will ensure that modern and accessible nine-car VLocity trains will be running from 2027, one year ahead of schedule, paving the way for future electrification of Melton Line. 

The Melton Line Upgrade will include extending platforms at Cobblebank, Rockbank, Caroline Springs and Deer Park stations to allow longer trains to park at the stations. 

“Melton is the fastest-growing community in Australia – our people deserve the infrastructure they need to connect them to opportunities, spend less time commuting and more time with their families,” Federal Member for Hawke Sam Rae MP said. 

“The Melton Line Upgrade is critical investment for the western suburbs from Deer Park to Melton. It will improve travel connections, boost the economy and better connect people to where they live, work, and play,” Federal Member for Gorton Alice Jordan Baird MP said. 

Melton Line Upgrade map (source: Victoria's Big Build)

A new train stabling yard will also be built at Cobblebank, and this will allow the new nine-car VLocity trains to start from first service to the city – ultimately improving reliability and frequency of train services between Melton and Southern Cross. 

The stabling yard will also be future-proofed to cater for Metro trains when the Melton Line is electrified. 

Meanwhile, the Melton Level Crossing Removals project will remove four dangerous and congested level crossings in Melton and Truganina as well as deliver a new Melton Station – set to open next year. 

The four new Melton Station platforms will accommodate Ballarat services and provide dedicated platforms for new Melton services including the nine-car VLocity trains. 

“This upgrade will make a real difference to the Melton community – delivering modern stations, longer trains and safer journeys across our community,” VIC Member for Melton Steve McGhie said. 

“This is a game changer for our growing western suburbs – giving locals in communities like Deer Park and Caroline Springs the modern, reliable and frequent train services they deserve,” VIC Member for Kororoit Luba Grigorovitch said. 

These works will ensure the fast-growing community can benefit from improved and more reliable train services as soon as the project is completed. 

The Australian and Victorian Governments are also investing over $4 billion to deliver the new Sunshine Superhub, which is the first step towards connecting the region’s public transport network to the Melbourne Airport and delivering Melton Line electrification in the future. 

Source: Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government; Premier of Victoria – Media Centre; Victoria’s Big Build – Level Crossing Removal Project