Third rail off track

CITY of Greater Dandenong chief executive Carl Wulff says the third rail line between Dandenong and Caulfield won’t be completed until 2011.
Mr Wulff met representatives of the State Government, rail operators and affected local governments and said he was told the process to design and build the extra rail line would be lengthy.
He said the final report on the project would be completed in 2007, tenders finalised in 2008 and building would take at least three years.
“It will be the first major upgrade to Melbourne’s rail system since 1984,” Mr Wulff said.
“Petrol prices have meant there has been a 3 to 4 per cent increase in patronage levels in the past few of months. And it’s not just the petrol. I think people are getting sick of waiting on the Monash for an hourandahalf.”
Mr Wulff said the early triplication plans did not include any new grade road or rail overpasses at crossings.
“We wouldn’t want an overpass in Springvale anyway. It has been done in other areas and it has destroyed shopping precincts.”
He said an underground station at Springvale would be a preferred option, but not one the State Government was considering.
“They said there would be significant engineering difficulties in getting the track underground,” Mr Wulff said.