Infrastructure Victoria calls for upgrade to 'unreliable and infrequent' Upfield train line in Melbourne's north

It's the morning peak in Melbourne's booming northern suburbs, but trains on the Upfield line only run every 15 to 20 minutes.

Merri-bek City Council Mayor Helen Davidson says when a train is cancelled, it means waiting 40 minutes to get to work.

"Waiting on this train with unreliable and infrequent trains means they're not getting to their doctor's appointments, they're not getting to the universities and the cities — and they become car-reliant."

The "problem" is the last 4-kilometre section of the line, which is single-track from Gowrie to Upfield station.

This means multiple trains can't run in both directions, limiting the number of trains that can run at a time.

Victoria's independent expert advisory body, Infrastructure Victoria, is calling on the state government to duplicate, upgrade and extend the line by 2030, as part of its broad pitch to government for strategy for the next 30 years.

"People in Fawkner, Coburg and Brunswick can wait up to 20 minutes for trains during peak times," Infrastructure Victoria's strategy found.

"These wait times are four to five times longer than stations in Melbourne's south-east that are a similar distance from the city centre."

Inner-north the site of population growth

Infrastructure Victoria costed duplicating that 4km of track, along with upgrading power and signalling between North Melbourne and Upfield, at $650 million to $1.4 billion.

"When assessed, as part of a larger investment program, the Upfield duplication helps deliver benefits of between $1.10 and $1.90 for each dollar invested," the report found.

Chief executive Dr Jonathan Spear said the project was critical to creating new homes around transport hubs in the north.

"We know that at the moment there's lots of population growth in the inner north and that's going to continue in the outer north as well," he said.

"What the Upfield improvement does, it unlocks around 11,000 new homes, and makes much more reliable public transport services available to people in the north of Melbourne."

Final strategy also urges new station at Beveridge, Campbellfield

The final version of the 30-year plan follows Infrastructure Victoria's draft report, released in March, which included a proposal to extend Melbourne's tram routes to create new housing corridors, reduce off-peak fares, and introduce 30 kilometre per hour speed limits on local streets to improve safety and promote walking and cycling.

Dr Spear said the final 45 recommendations were informed by feedback from thousands of Victorians.

"This strategy provides the government with a practical road map of the highest priority infrastructure policies and investments that we need over the next three decades," he said.

The final strategy also includes new train stations in Melbourne's north, at Campbellfield, on the Upfield line, as well as at Beveridge, on the Seymour line, and Altona North, Mount Atkinson and Thornhill Park in the city's west.

Mitchell Shire Mayor John Dougall said a train station at Beveridge was the council's top advocacy priority, because the area was experiencing a population boom,  including a new housing precinct recently approved with 15,000 new homes.

Council data recently showed just 1.2 per cent of residents regularly catch public transport, and the road network is choked. 

"Beveridge is an older town, but it's rapidly changing," Cr Dougall said.

"It's now home to more than 11,000 people and it's doubling its size every five years."

He said it was important the government invested in infrastructure before new residents moved in, rather than "playing catch-up" down the track.

"The land is available, it needs to be acquired and developed, but it is available, and it is right next to this suburb," he said.

The Northern Councils Alliance, a group of seven councils in Melbourne's north, described the Upfield duplication and extension as "an absolute priority".

A state government spokesperson said the government welcomed the strategy from Infrastructure Victoria, and said current works on the Upfield Line were focused on building two new stations.

"We're getting on removing eight level crossings on the Upfield Line and building two accessible stations in new locations in Brunswick, improving safety and cutting congestion — while paving the way for future upgrades," a spokesperson said. 

Meanwhile, the federal government has committed $7 million for the state government to "develop a business case that will provide options to upgrade services on the Craigieburn and Upfield lines", said Federal Member for Wills, Peter Khalil.

"Planning work takes time and we look forward to working with the Victorian government as this project progresses," he said.

Report also highlights need for urgent hospital renewals

Infrastructure Victoria's 30-year strategy also noted that three major Victorian hospitals — The Alfred, Austin and Royal Melbourne —  had needed redeveloping since at least 2017, with critical maintenance issues and deteriorating facilities creating serious risks.

Construction on all three should begin within the next five years and be completed by 2035, the report stated.

A state government spokesperson said the government had already "invested billions to upgrade the Alfred, Royal Melbourne and Austin hospitals with work already underway at all three — ensuring Victorians will get the world-class care they need, when they need it".

However Shadow Minister for Health Georgie Crozier said the hospital issues had been ignored for a long time.

She said The Alfred hospital was crumbling, and leaking in parts of some theatres.

"They've been warned about that for years and it's patients and healthcare workers that should not be having to put up with this," she said.

"These facilities are not fit for purpose and it's compromising patient safety."