Riders who take their bikes on trains face multiple impacts this winter as a number of projects replace trains with buses.
Rail replacements in June
Bike riders are advised that buses will replace trains between Watergardens and Sunbury from first service Monday 23 June until last service Sunday 29 June.
The disruptions are in place while works are carried out on Old Calder Highway and Watsons Road.
Rail replacement bus services at Diggers Rest Station will use the bus stops o the new road bridge.
Additionally, the Parkiteer bike storage unit will be closed from 19–30 June.
Both the eastern station car park and the pedestrian crossing at the level crossing will be closed from 23–30 June (an accessible shuttle bus will take pedestrians from one side of the rail line to the other).
Rail replacements in July
Buses will replace trains on the Werribee and Williamstown lines between Newport and Werribee for 25 evenings in July.
An evening bus service will operate on 1–3, 7–24 and 28–31 July.
- On Sunday–Thursday nights, buses will replace trains between 8.30pm and last service.
- On Friday nights, buses will replace trains between 10.30pm and 5.00am.
- On Saturday nights, buses will replace trains between 10.30pm and 6.00am.
Buses will also replace trains between North Melbourne and Sunshine and North Melbourne and Werribee & Williamstown from approximately 11.30pm, Friday 4 July, to last service, Sunday 6 July.
Additionally, buses will replace trains between first service, Monday 7 July and 1.30am, Saturday 12 July between Parliament & Caulfield and Westall, and North Melbourne and Sunshine (extended to Sunbury on the evenings of 8, 9 and 10 July from 8.00pm to last service).
Finally, buses will replace trains from 1.30am, Saturday 12 July, to last service, Sunday 13 July, between North Melbourne and Sunshine, and Parliament & Caulfield and Westall.
Metro Tunnel works
Works are moving full steam ahead on Melbourne's Metro Tunnel Project, with an extended period of testing planned for Saturday 21 June. More trains are set to run throughout the day compared to a usual Saturday timetable.
Trains running on the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines will be travelling through the Metro Tunnel, so passengers need to interchange at Footscray and Caulfield to complete their journey.
Information displays on the trains and platforms will reflect future services, so station staff will be out in force to help people understand how their journey is affected. Passengers are urged to pay careful attention to live announcements.
Future disruptions are expected on the Sunbury, Cranbourne, Pakenham, Gippsland, Traralgon and Bairnsdale lines as work continues on the project; Bicycle Network will report on these in due course.
Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Gabrielle Williams, said: "The Metro Tunnel Project is gearing up for its first full day of trial operations as it prepares to open to passengers later this year – one year ahead of schedule.
"A huge amount of work is underway this winter, with the finish line in sight for Metro Tunnel and West Gate Tunnel – city-shaping projects that will ease congestion and cut travel times."
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