By Casey Neill
Commuters say they feel safer in the new Noble Park Railway Station.
It opened to the public on Thursday 15 February as the first trains carrying passengers made their way over the new elevated rail between the Sandown Park and Yarraman stations.
Raising 1.5 kilometres of the Pakenham-Cranbourne train line removed the level crossings at Heatherton, Corrigan and Chandler roads in Noble Park.
Premier Daniel Andrews and Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan arrived at the new Noble Park station by train to celebrate the opening.
Bollywood dancers, musicians, and a primary school choir added to the atmosphere.
Commuters received backpacks emblazoned with My Noble Park and free apples and bananas.
“There will never be unanimous agreement on any project,” Mr Andrews said in response to questions about objections from sky rail’s neighbours.
He said buses would still replace trains at times during the coming months as additional work is carried out.
Work on transforming the space beneath the lines, which will include a new dog off-leash park, has started and is due for completion mid-year.
Ambi Ambikaipalan has a law practice in neighbouring Ian Street and said traders in the area were thrilled.
“I was watching from day one when they started the work and there could not be a better result for Noble Park,” he said.
Kelly, who lives adjacent to the sky rail in George Street, said she’d already noticed a difference in the noise levels from passing trains.
“The noise has reduced a bit,” she said.
“We are happy.
“When there was no sky rail there was a lot of traffic over here.”
Commuter Daulton, 41, from Noble Park said he was impressed with the new elevated station.
“It adds security. You don’t have to go underground. That’s a big thing,” he said.
“The tunnel used to be really dark in the old station and you’d worry sometimes when you’d walk through it at night.
“Here it will be a different story.”
He’s noticed a drop in traffic congestion since the boom gates were removed in recent weeks.
More than 275 trains will run along the new elevated tracks each day, carrying about 90,000 passengers.
