Works powering ahead on Waurn Ponds Station upgrade

Major works are progressing on the Waurn Ponds station, as part of the staged upgrade of railway line between Geelong and Waurn Ponds.

The Australian and Victorian governments are investing more than $1 billion in rail upgrades between Geelong and Waurn Ponds, part of an investment of more than $4 billion in the Regional Rail Revival program.

The upgrade works at the station will include accessibility works for the pedestrian overpass, including lifts, stairs and ramps. The works will also include relocating lights and CCTV, upgrading toilet facilities, installing solar panels and replacing drainage.

Construction will also include works on the new station forecourt, with a new drop-off zone and secure bike storage to make it quicker and easier for the community to get to the station by car or bike.

An existing stormwater culvert will be upgraded and extended to allow for construction of the new second track.

The second track is the first step of a track duplication from Waurn Ponds to South Geelong, which will enable services to be extended in the future.

Additional works will also include construction of the Waurn Ponds train stabling and maintenance facility. This facility will support extra services on the Geelong line.

Buses are replacing trains between Marshall and Waurn Ponds until Sunday 17 October to allow work on the project to continue.

More than 90 parking spaces will also be built as part of the Waurn Ponds Station upgrade, along with the sealing of 120 existing gravel cap parking spaces.

The South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication project will duplicate around eight kilometres of track and upgrade signalling between South Geelong and Waurn Ponds to deliver additional services to Marshall and Waurn Ponds stations, allowing five services per hour during peak times and three per hour between the peaks.

The shortlisted contractors to deliver the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication project include CUBG, a consortia comprising CPB Contractors, UGL, Beca and GHD, and the Djilang Alliance, comprising McConnell Dowell, Downer, Arup and WSP Australia.

The contract for the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication will be awarded in mid-2022.

Construction on the project is expected to commence at the end of 2022 and is targeted for completion in 2024.