By Laura Michell
It’s official – trains will begin running on the Mernda rail extension from Sunday, August 26.
After weeks of speculation that the $600 million extension would open in late August – well ahead of the planned 2019 opening – Premier Daniel Andrews visited Mernda on Sunday to confirm the date of the first train.
It will be the first time a passenger train has run to Mernda since the former Whittlesea line was decommissioned in 1959.
The opening of the extension means the South Morang line will be renamed the Mernda line.
Trial trains began travelling between South Morang and Mernda stations earlier this month, testing the track, overhead wiring and other infrastructure.
Driver training along the line will begin in coming weeks.
The opening of the extension and the new stations at Mernda, Middle Gorge and Hawkstowe will coincide with the launch of a new timetable.
Mernda passengers will have access to 982 services to the city every week.
Mr Andrews said the Mernda rail extension would help residents to get to work and home sooner.
“This is the first new rail line in 60 years,” he said.
“We said we’d deliver better public transport to get people in Melbourne’s north … and that’s exactly what we’ve done.”
South Morang and Mernda Rail Alliance spokesman Darren Peters said it was great the state government had finally confirmed the start date for the trains.
He has called on the government to join the Liberal Party and the Greens in vowing to rename Middle Gorge station.
Locals will have the chance to check out the three new station ahead of their opening, with a community day planned for Sunday, August 19.
The new timetable will be available from ptv.vic.gov.au from late July.
