Safety note: Admin approval is an initial review, not a guarantee that every detail is correct. Check important or urgent claims with official sources and report anything inaccurate or unsafe.
Source and credit: Contributor's own report
Melbourne Upfield Line Upgrades Delayed Until 2033 Under New Government Plan - Melbourne, VIC
Smart summary
The Victorian Government has announced an $80 million study into duplicating Melbourne's Upfield railway line while delaying eight planned level-crossing removals.
The Victorian Government has announced a new plan for Melbourne's Upfield railway line that would delay several planned level-crossing removals while preliminary work is carried out on duplicating a section of the rail line.
The Upfield line runs through Melbourne's northern suburbs and includes approximately four kilometres of single-track railway between Gowrie and Upfield stations. The single-track section limits the number of services that can operate along the line.
Under the announcement made on Monday, the Victorian Government said it would commit $80 million to a detailed study into duplicating the single-track section. The government said the study would examine the requirements and costs associated with the proposed duplication.
Premier Ben Carroll said the government intended to duplicate the line by 2033 if re-elected at the November Victorian election. The estimated cost of the eventual duplication has been put between $650 million and $1.4 billion, although the government has not committed to a final construction budget.
The government said the planning and duplication study would be completed by 2028. The proposal would then allow the rail duplication and level-crossing projects to be coordinated.
Eight planned level-crossing removals along the Upfield line are also being delayed under the new plan. The government said coordinating the projects with the future duplication could save about $686 million.
The Upfield line serves communities across Melbourne's northern suburbs, including areas around Fawkner, Gowrie, Coburg and Upfield. Residents have previously raised concerns about the frequency and reliability of services, particularly because of the single-track section.
The government says the proposed duplication would increase capacity and improve reliability. However, opposition parties and the Victorian Greens have criticised the delay to the level-crossing projects.
Shadow Transport Infrastructure Minister Evan Mulholland argued that the works had been repeatedly delayed. The Greens also criticised the announcement, saying the government had not yet committed the full funding required to construct the duplicated railway.
These criticisms are political claims about the government's infrastructure decisions; the government maintains that combining the projects would be more financially efficient.
The announcement is significant because the Upfield line has been the subject of planning and business-case work for several years. In 2025, the federal government announced funding for a business case examining upgrades to Melbourne's northern metropolitan railway network. The Victorian Government's 2026–27 budget also included funding for further planning work.
The latest announcement changes the proposed timeline again, with the government now linking the future duplication of the railway with the delayed level-crossing removals.
For passengers, the timing means that some planned infrastructure improvements will take longer to complete. The government says the longer-term objective is to create additional rail capacity while coordinating major construction projects.
The proposal remains connected to the outcome of the Victorian state election, with the government saying the study and future duplication would proceed if it is returned to office.
GovernmentLineDuplicationUpfieldWould
The Victorian Government has announced a new plan for Melbourne's Upfield railway line that would delay several planned level-crossing removals while preliminary work is carried out on duplicating a section of the rail line.
The Upfield line runs through Melbourne's northern suburbs and includes approximately four kilometres of single-track railway between Gowrie and Upfield stations. The single-track section limits the number of services that can operate along the line.
Under the announcement made on Monday, the Victorian Government said it would commit $80 million to a detailed study into duplicating the single-track section. The government said the study would examine the requirements and costs associated with the proposed duplication.
Premier Ben Carroll said the government intended to duplicate the line by 2033 if re-elected at the November Victorian election. The estimated cost of the eventual duplication has been put between $650 million and $1.4 billion, although the government has not committed to a final construction budget.
The government said the planning and duplication study would be completed by 2028. The proposal would then allow the rail duplication and level-crossing projects to be coordinated.
Eight planned level-crossing removals along the Upfield line are also being delayed under the new plan. The government said coordinating the projects with the future duplication could save about $686 million.
The Upfield line serves communities across Melbourne's northern suburbs, including areas around Fawkner, Gowrie, Coburg and Upfield. Residents have previously raised concerns about the frequency and reliability of services, particularly because of the single-track section.
The government says the proposed duplication would increase capacity and improve reliability. However, opposition parties and the Victorian Greens have criticised the delay to the level-crossing projects.
Shadow Transport Infrastructure Minister Evan Mulholland argued that the works had been repeatedly delayed. The Greens also criticised the announcement, saying the government had not yet committed the full funding required to construct the duplicated railway.
These criticisms are political claims about the government's infrastructure decisions; the government maintains that combining the projects would be more financially efficient.
The announcement is significant because the Upfield line has been the subject of planning and business-case work for several years. In 2025, the federal government announced funding for a business case examining upgrades to Melbourne's northern metropolitan railway network. The Victorian Government's 2026–27 budget also included funding for further planning work.
The latest announcement changes the proposed timeline again, with the government now linking the future duplication of the railway with the delayed level-crossing removals.
For passengers, the timing means that some planned infrastructure improvements will take longer to complete. The government says the longer-term objective is to create additional rail capacity while coordinating major construction projects.
The proposal remains connected to the outcome of the Victorian state election, with the government saying the study and future duplication would proceed if it is returned to office.
Severe weather in Melbourne has caused flight disruptions from Brisbane, with at least one flight cancelled and other services delayed as passengers tra...
Passengers travelling through Sydney Airport on September 24 are being warned to allow extra time as separate strikes involving airport security and gro...
A British traveller was left behind at a remote South Australian roadside stop after her Greyhound bus departed during a scheduled overnight break near...
Wet conditions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground are creating difficult conditions for the AFL Grand Final, while poor weather has also disrupted flights...
Police have arrested three teenagers after a man was allegedly stabbed while confronting a group of boys attempting to break into a car in Melbourne’s s...
After losing two sons, Melbourne father Nick Olney has established a charity helping grieving parents preserve memories of their babies and access suppo...
NSW Police are appealing for information to identify a woman wanted in connection with the death of a 73-year-old man following an alleged hit-and-run i...
A 48-hour burst of heavy rain has brought almost 100 millimetres to parts of Western Australia, damaging some crops while providing welcome moisture bef...
A mock assessment of Ambulance Tasmania found that only 23 of 138 relevant national safety and quality actions were fully met, while the service says im...
