Regional trains will be back on track sooner and services will be more reliable with the Allan Labor Government forging ahead with major upgrades to the South Dynon Train Maintenance Facility.
Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams today announced the start of the second stage of the $322 million project which will deliver more capacity to maintain the growing number of V/Line trains on the network.
Crews have started piling works to build a new train bio-wash facility, which will help clean trains at a faster rate after their long journeys – allowing them to return back to the network sooner, while minimising disruptions for commuters.
A new under-floor wheel lathe will be delivered – which is a first of its kind to service V/Line trains in Melbourne – and will be used to help maintain train wheels so that they run for longer periods of time.
Set to be complete in 2026, stage two of the project will also build a new waste-water treatment, an upgraded train refuelling facility and new heavy maintenance roads – with the project supporting 180 jobs, with more to come once the facility is complete.
Stage one of the upgrade was completed in 2023 and involved upgrading power to the site, new CCTV and lighting to make the site safer and new tracks for more efficient train movements.
While work continues, sections of the existing maintenance facility will be closed between Thursday, 5 September and Monday, 16 September – during this time, some Albury line services will not be running.
The Labor Government has invested $601 million to build 23 new VLocity trains, supporting up to 500 local jobs, with the first one taking passengers earlier this month.
V/Line runs more than 2,200 scheduled train services and 1,500 coach services every week, with more than 800 new services per week added onto the V/Line network since 2015.
Victorians continue to enjoy the regional fare cap, which has transformed the way people travel around the state – with 31 million trips taken since the far cap was introduced, helping passengers save more than $80 million.
As stated by Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams
“The upgraded South Dynon Train Maintenance Facility will be a gamechanger for our V/Line network and will ensure we have more trains, more often across regional Victoria.”
“Whether it’s fairer fares, upgrading every regional rail line, getting trains back on track sooner or delivering more services – only Labor delivers the public transport system regional Victorians deserve.”
As stated by Member for Northern Metropolitan Region Sheena Watt
“The South Dynon Maintenance Facility upgrade has created hundreds of jobs for locals through construction and will provide additional jobs during the lifetime of its operation.”
