The Allan Labor Government has removed its 86th dangerous and congested level crossing in Diggers Rest – delivering faster and safer journeys for thousands of Victorians in time for the opening of the Metro Tunnel.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams today visited the new ‘Golden Way’ bridge to announce it will open on Wednesday.
The bridge separates vehicles from trains by connecting the Old Calder Highway to Diggers Rest-Coimadai Road over the rail line, and its name acknowledges the area’s gold rush roots and its origins as a resting place for diggers heading to the goldfields.
More than 8,000 vehicles used this level crossing every day, facing delays of up to 36 minutes when 27 trains travel through the crossings in the morning peak.
The opening of the new bridge marks the Level Crossing Removal Program’s 86th removal across Melbourne – with 10 sets of boom gates gone for good in the past year alone.
The removal of these 86 level crossings is preventing 111 crashes and near misses every year.
Getting rid of the level crossing brings the Sunbury Line one step closer to becoming boom gate free later this year, with work well under way at Watsons Road, Diggers Rest and Calder Park Drive and Holden Road in Calder Park.
With the bridge opening on Wednesday morning, Old Calder Highway will close to traffic between the level crossing and Diggers Rest-Coimadai Road until Monday, 21 July to enable works to permanently close the crossing.
Crews will now build a new community space with landscaping and pedestrian connections between the station precinct and post office and complete Golden Way’s separated cycling path, which will open later this year.
In addition to being level crossing free, the Sunbury Line is also set to benefit from the opening of the Metro Tunnel later this year, providing rail passengers with direct access to five new underground stations.
The Level Crossing Removal Project is removing 110 level crossings across Melbourne by 2030.
The Allan Labor Government has removed its 86th dangerous and congested level crossing in Diggers Rest – delivering faster and safer journeys for thousands of Victorians in time for the opening of the Metro Tunnel.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams today visited the new ‘Golden Way’ bridge to announce it will open on Wednesday.
The bridge separates vehicles from trains by connecting the Old Calder Highway to Diggers Rest-Coimadai Road over the rail line, and its name acknowledges the area’s gold rush roots and its origins as a resting place for diggers heading to the goldfields.
More than 8,000 vehicles used this level crossing every day, facing delays of up to 36 minutes when 27 trains travel through the crossings in the morning peak.
The opening of the new bridge marks the Level Crossing Removal Program’s 86th removal across Melbourne – with 10 sets of boom gates gone for good in the past year alone.
The removal of these 86 level crossings is preventing 111 crashes and near misses every year.
Getting rid of the level crossing brings the Sunbury Line one step closer to becoming boom gate free later this year, with work well under way at Watsons Road, Diggers Rest and Calder Park Drive and Holden Road in Calder Park.
With the bridge opening on Wednesday morning, Old Calder Highway will close to traffic between the level crossing and Diggers Rest-Coimadai Road until Monday, 21 July to enable works to permanently close the crossing.
Crews will now build a new community space with landscaping and pedestrian connections between the station precinct and post office and complete Golden Way’s separated cycling path, which will open later this year.
In addition to being level crossing free, the Sunbury Line is also set to benefit from the opening of the Metro Tunnel later this year, providing rail passengers with direct access to five new underground stations.
The Level Crossing Removal Project is removing 110 level crossings across Melbourne by 2030.
The Allan Labor Government is focused on what matters most – real help for families to ease the cost-of-living.
The Victorian Budget 2025/26 will make public transport free for everyone under 18, everywhere in Victoria.
From 1 January 2026, hundreds of thousands of families will save up to $755 a year per child. It’s a massive investment to put money back in the pocket of families who are doing it tough.
A yearly student pass currently costs $755. A family with three children using yearly student passes spends $2,265 a year. A student without a yearly pass – who buys a daily fare four times a week – spends $1,144 a year.
But thanks to this Budget, those children get to travel for free on a new youth myki.
The new youth myki can be used like any other myki, to tap on and travel through ticket gates at stations and when getting on a bus or tram. The card will stay valid until the child turns 18.
More than one million young Victorians and their families stand to benefit from the new youth myki when it rolls out from 1 January 2026.
Children living in non-myki areas will also be eligible for free travel. The free travel will be available on all forms of public transport including trams, trains, buses and coach services in metro, regional and rural areas.
This is yet another massive reduction in public transport fares to ease the cost of living for families and workers.
The Labor Government’s regional fare cap has already saved Victorians more than $132 million in its first two years. Now it’s time to go even further – because families right across Victoria are doing it tough, and every dollar counts.
The Government is also massively expanding the public transport system, for more services, more often.
When a student uses their youth myki from January for free travel, they’ll be able to tap on at one of five new underground stations on the new Metro Tunnel.
This week, the Government also announced a PT blitz to fund turn-up and go services on the Sunbury and Cranbourne and Pakenham lines, plus more services on the Werribee, Sandringham, Upfield and Craigieburn lines.
The Allan Labor Government is focused on what matters most – real help for families to ease the cost-of-living.
The Victorian Budget 2025/26 will make public transport free for everyone under 18, everywhere in Victoria.
From 1 January 2026, hundreds of thousands of families will save up to $755 a year per child. It’s a massive investment to put money back in the pocket of families who are doing it tough.
A yearly student pass currently costs $755. A family with three children using yearly student passes spends $2,265 a year. A student without a yearly pass – who buys a daily fare four times a week – spends $1,144 a year.
But thanks to this Budget, those children get to travel for free on a new youth myki.
The new youth myki can be used like any other myki, to tap on and travel through ticket gates at stations and when getting on a bus or tram. The card will stay valid until the child turns 18.
More than one million young Victorians and their families stand to benefit from the new youth myki when it rolls out from 1 January 2026.
Children living in non-myki areas will also be eligible for free travel. The free travel will be available on all forms of public transport including trams, trains, buses and coach services in metro, regional and rural areas.
This is yet another massive reduction in public transport fares to ease the cost of living for families and workers.
The Labor Government’s regional fare cap has already saved Victorians more than $132 million in its first two years. Now it’s time to go even further – because families right across Victoria are doing it tough, and every dollar counts.
The Government is also massively expanding the public transport system, for more services, more often.
When a student uses their youth myki from January for free travel, they’ll be able to tap on at one of five new underground stations on the new Metro Tunnel.
This week, the Government also announced a PT blitz to fund turn-up and go services on the Sunbury and Cranbourne and Pakenham lines, plus more services on the Werribee, Sandringham, Upfield and Craigieburn lines.