A PLANNED 45-day V/Line rail shutdown on the Seymour and Shepparton lines is set to put an additional 1700 truck movements onto the Hume Highway and surrounding roads, raising alarm among residents and road users already worried about congestion and road safety.
The shutdown, part of a program of line upgrades, will suspend freight services that normally move thousands of tonnes of quarry materials across the state. For Heidelberg Materials Australia operator of Hanson’s quarry in Kilmore, the only option is to switch to road transport to deliver the raw product needed for asphalting and road maintenance.
The operator’s logistics manager explained that a single trainload is equivalent to 30 truckloads. With dozens of trains normally moving over the course of six weeks, the company now expects about 1700 truck trips during the closure.
Local communities along freight routes say the sudden increase could worsen existing issues. The Hume Highway is already one of the busiest freight corridors in the country, and the thought of hundreds of additional heavy vehicles has residents concerned about traffic delays, road wear, and the potential for more accidents. Smaller local roads linking the quarry to the highway are also expected to carry more trucks, with residents warning of noise, dust, and safety risks.
Many road users have long complained about the state of Victoria’s road network, particularly after repeated flooding and heavy use have left highways riddled with potholes. Now, the very materials meant to repair the damage will contribute to extra pressure on those same roads.
On social media, frustration has been growing in towns along the corridor. A Wallan resident posted, “The highway is already a nightmare in peak times. Throw another 1700 trucks into the mix and it’s going to be chaos.”
From Kilmore, another commenter said, “Our local roads are crumbling as it is — we’ll be the ones dodging potholes and dealing with the noise at all hours.”
A Broadford driver added, “We get the rail upgrades are important, but once again it feels like small towns are left to deal with the fallout.”
Community members also question whether enough planning was done to minimise the impact of the rail closure. While most agree the signalling upgrades are necessary to modernise the rail network and improve long-term reliability, some feel local towns are being left to shoulder the short-term burden.
A Heidelberg Materials spokesperson said the switch to trucks was unavoidable if roadworks were to stay on schedule, but acknowledged the disruption.
“We understand people’s concerns, these materials are critical, and with no trains available, this is the only way to get them where they need to go,” the spokesperson said.
With the shutdown set to continue for more than six weeks, drivers across the district are being warned to expect heavier traffic, longer delays, and added strain on already fragile roads.
The Nationals’ Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, said that the closures will have a disastrous impact for local roads.
“Labor’s rail shutdowns are not just punishing commuters, they are hammering our roads and placing enormous strain on local communities,” she said.
“When one business alone is forced to put 1700 trucks onto the road just to keep operating, you can only imagine the flow-on impact across the whole network.
“Every extra truck means more potholes, shorter road life, higher council repair bills, and greater safety risks for locals.
“This is not just inconvenient, it is dangerous and costly.”
Mitchell Shire Council were contacted for comment for this story.
