Extension Proposals
Following the election of the Bracks Government in 1999, a promise was made to restore the service to South Morang along the former right-of-way by 2003, however no work started at that time. In 2003 a trainlink bus service was introduced from Epping to South Morang meeting every train, but the 2005 Meeting Our Transport Challenges plan postponed construction of the railway until 2021. The restoration of the railway to Mernda is also identified in the Strategic Transportation Study undertaken by the City of Whittlesea in 2002. In the 2008 State Budget A$10 million was earmarked for design work on the four kilometre extension, in addition to design work for duplication between Keon Park and Epping stations.
A proposal also exists for a spur line to be constructed to Epping North and the new suburb of Aurora, at a cost of between A$76 million and A$300 million. The line would branch off the Epping line at Lalor, with new stations at Epping Plaza, Aurora and Epping North.
On 1 May 2009 the State Government announced that they had committed $562.3 million in the 2009 State Budget for the extension of the line to South Morang, covering capital and construction works. The announcement said that tenders would be called later that year, with construction to start in 2010 and be completed by 2013. Work will include duplication of the existing single track between Keon Park and Epping, and the construction of 3.5 kilometres of new double track from Epping to South Morang. No level crossings will exist on the new section of track, with road overpasses to be provided at Cooper Street, Pindari Avenue and Civic Drive. The new South Morang station will have parking for 450 cars.
Major construction on the extension of the Epping railway line to South Morang commenced in October 2010. The South Morang Rail Extension Project involves 5 km of rail track duplication between Keon Park and Epping, new Thomastown railway station with a second platform and a pedestrian overpass, upgrade and expansion of the Epping train maintenance facility, including new stabling roads, relocation of the existing Epping railway station to the north of Cooper Street, 3.5 km of new double rail tracks from Epping to the border of South Morang and a new railway station on the border of Epping and South Morang, a few kilometres short of the original South Morang railway station.
Read more about this topic: South Morang Railway Line
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