Victoria’s Department of Transport has officially opened the Hallam station in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, as part of the level crossing removal project.
The brand-new station includes a new forecourt, improved parking, safer pedestrian and cycling links through the station precinct, and a new entrance on the western side of Hallam Road. The opening follows the removal of the dangerous and congested Hallam Road level crossing in early April, with a new elevated rail bridge carrying trains over the road, making it safer for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.
Finishing works will continue over the coming months, which will include the completion of a second entrance on the eastern side of Hallam Road. The platforms at the new Hallam station have been built to accommodate High Capacity Trains being rolled out on the Pakenham Line to provide more room for passengers.
“We are upgrading roads, removing level crossings and improving transport services to change the way people travel and live in Melbourne’s south-east. Hallam residents will have access to a world class station precinct, with safer entrances, a new forecourt, longer platforms for High-Capacity Trains and once the Metro Tunnel is complete – more services more often,” Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said.
The former level crossing was the site of 14 near misses in the past 10 years, 11 involving pedestrians and three involving vehicles, and its removal marks a huge boost in safety for the community.
It is just one part of a series of major infrastructure upgrades that have transformed the south-eastern suburbs to create better arterial connections between Carrum, Cranbourne and Berwick, improving travel times between those suburbs.
The upgrades include level crossing removals as well as intersection and road upgrades at Hallam Road, Evans Road, Thompsons Road, and the South Gippsland Highway.
The government has invested AUD 15 billion (USD 10.7 billion) in removing every level crossing on the Pakenham Line, changing the way people live, and paving the way for more services, more often, when the Metro Tunnel opens.
In total, 85 level crossings will be removed by 2025, improving safety and reducing congestion in Melbourne’s suburbs, with 59 gone for good already.
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