Disruptions for rail passengers

By Kelly Yates
CRANBOURNE commuters will face major disruptions next week due to major works that are underway at Cranbourne Railway Station.
All train services will be terminated at Dandenong station and will not be running from Cranbourne over the weekend from 28 to 31 March.
Replacement bus services between Cranbourne, Merinda Park and Dandenong will be available during these times, MP Jude Perera said.
Parliamentary secretary for public transport Rob Hudson inspected the works on Tuesday and said commuters had already benefited from the completed Park and Ride facility at Cranbourne.
The $37 million dollar Brumby government project aims to improve services on the Dandenong rail corridor.
Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said the addition of stabling yards, better disabled access and increased security would offer improved public transport services for Cranbourne commuters.
“The new train storage facility can accommodate six trains and will eliminate empty train movements from other stabling locations across the metropolitan rail network,” she said.
“This will ultimately allow us to increase the number of services from Cranbourne.”
But Casey-Cardinia Communities for Public Transport president Alex Makin said more needed to be done.
“A refurbishment of Cranbourne railway station is welcome news, but the work must include improved access to and from the station. At the moment the walking tracks are predominantly rock-based and become muddy when wet,” he said.
“The growing population also requires the establishment of a new station at Cranbourne East, so there is much work to be done.”
He said the government needs to duplicate it to two tracks.
“This way, trains can go in and out of Cranbourne. But there is no sign of the government duplicating it,” he said.
Works on the Cranbourne stabling and station upgrade project are expected to be completed by 2009.