A Melbourne train line will run on a single track for five months as Newport level crossing removal begins.
Werribee Line becomes the latest Melbourne train line to face major disruptions as construction work ramps up.
Rail bridges will carry passenger and freight trains over Maddox Road, while a new pedestrian and cycling bridge will be built at Champion Road. Final designs for the Newport level crossing removal incorporate community feedback while celebrating the area’s natural beauty and industrial heritage, including a right-turn lane for cyclists on Maddox Road.
Design details reflect Newport’s coastal character, with the Maddox Road rail bridges featuring curves and blue-green screens inspired by the foreshore and wetlands. Champion Road’s pedestrian and cycling bridge showcases imagery from the historic Newport Railway Workshops and Jawbone Flora and Fauna Reserve. When complete, around 145 large trees and more than 35,000 plants, shrubs and grasses will be planted throughout the area.
Melbourne train line level crossing removal
- Where: Maddox Road and Champion Road, Newport
- When: Major works begin November 2025, level crossings gone 2026
Service changes:
- Thursday 13 November to Sunday 16 November: Buses replace trains on sections of the Werribee Line
- Monday 17 November to late April 2026: Single track operations between Laverton and Newport
- Citybound services run express from Laverton to Newport
- Outbound services stop all stations via Altona, Westona and Seaholme on the Altona Loop
- Shuttle buses available from Altona, Westona and Seaholme to Newport Station, or train to Laverton Station
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Major construction ramps up this month with buses replacing trains on sections of the Werribee Line from Thursday 13 November to Sunday 16 November. To keep trains running and avoid a complete months-long shutdown, services will operate on a single track between Laverton and Newport from Monday 17 November until late April next year.
Citybound services will run express from Laverton to Newport during this period, while outbound services stop at all stations via Altona, Westona and Seaholme on the Altona Loop. Passengers from Altona, Westona and Seaholme heading citybound can catch shuttle buses to Newport Station or take the train to Laverton Station to continue their journey.
Both dangerous level crossings at Maddox Road and Champion Road will be removed next year. Akuna Drive will be connected to Maddox Road to create a convenient route for local drivers. Open space improvements are still being developed with more details coming next year.
Across Melbourne, 87 level crossings have already been removed from a total of 110 planned removals. Work continues to make the Werribee Line level crossing free by 2030.
For more information, head here.
