COMMUTERS across Mitchell Shire are bracing for a month of major disruption, with all Seymour and Shepparton line trains to be replaced by coaches as Inland Rail works intensify through Broadford, Wandong, Tallarook and Seymour.
From Tuesday, April 28, until Monday, May 25, replacement coaches will run between Southern Cross, Seymour and Shepparton, leaving thousands of passengers facing longer travel times, altered timetables and the inconvenience of bus transfers. Even before the full shutdown begins, coaches replaced late-night Seymour line trains from Southern Cross in mid-April.
For communities already dealing with years of construction impacts, the latest shutdown is another blow. Inland Rail will use the 28-day V/Line possession from April 28 to May 26 to push ahead with a string of major works across the corridor.
At Wandong, the old Broadford-Wandong Road bridge will be demolished, while in Broadford protective screens will be installed on Hamilton Street bridge to prevent items falling onto the rail line below.
Roadworks around Broadford-Wandong Road, Rail Street and Epping-Kilmore Road will continue, along with drainage, utility relocation, lighting installation and the construction of a temporary residents’ access road.
A section of Rail Street will also close for about 10 weeks, forcing another detour via Heathcote Junction.
Major track works will also take place beneath Broadford’s Short Street bridge, where both ARTC and V/Line tracks will be removed, lowered and rebuilt, alongside the installation of new drainage. Nearby, piling and retaining wall works will continue at Marchbanks Road in preparation for the construction of a new bridge later this year.
Under the Hume Freeway at Tallarook, ARTC and V/Line tracks will also be removed, lowered and rebuilt, with drainage upgrades and bridge strengthening works carried out. Similar works will occur under the Hume Freeway at Seymour.
In Broadford, residents and motorists face heavy vehicle movements, detours and temporary road closures as crews lower the rail tracks beneath Short Street Bridge. About 100,000 tonnes of material will be shifted between the rail corridor and a High Street project site between April 27 and May 12.
Marchbanks Road Bridge and sections of High Street will close during high-impact truck movements, with traffic diverted via the Hume Freeway Clonbinane interchange. Closures are scheduled from 7pm on April 28 until 7am on May 5, apart from limited daytime reopening on April 30 and May 1.
Locals have also been warned to expect about 80 trucks using haulage routes through town, including access points at Last Street, Jamieson Street, Short Street and near the Broadford Bowls Club.
A spokesperson for John Holland has advised that during the closure access to the Hume Freeway will be via the Clonbinane on and off ramps and B-doubles and oversized trucks will be required to travel north to Seymour to turn around to travel south, due to limitations regarding alternative turning circles for large vehicles along the route.
An Inland Rail spokesperson said the scope of work in the upcoming track possession is the largest it has undertaken in a single rail possession.
“With train services suspended, all eight sites will become centres of high activity as we carry out important construction work. We understand that these works will have an impact on the local community, so we thank them for their patience and cooperation.”