This whole program has been shoddily conceived and badly implemented by a dictatorial and incompetent government fed by the useless PTV and the road-biassed LXRA.
From the outset, it was covered by an organised litany of lies at which the trenched solution was exhibited at 'consultation meeting' for the Caulfield - Oakleigh section.
The bombshell came in January, with the announcement of elevated in the three zones between Caulfield and Dandenong.
This was accompanied by spin (including the marketing term 'skyrail'), propaganda pictures and outright lies (mainly by LXRA, regarding the need for width, tree removal, property acquisition and shutdowns).
Quite apart from the aesthetics, there has been no effort to futureproof by allowing for expansion.
LXRA has been careful to design the ugliest possible treatments for trench walls and for the stations: bleak, grey, ugly, no vegetation, so that people will vote for its preferred elevation, just to suit its own convenience.
There was a time when trenching was achieved under in-traffic conditions, by engineers who could cope, and didn't bleat about 'water tables'.
The end result is that the government poisoned the well for locations where elevating the railway does work: notably in sections with major and local roads alongside.
Hence, the equally bizarre decision to trench alongside Nepean Hwy.
Roderick
February 25 2017 No skyrail for Bonbeach and Edithvale as government attempts to avert backlash .
Victorians could end up paying more to remove levels crossings on the Frankston train line, after the Andrews government decided not to build "skyrail" in some of its most marginal suburbs in the hope of avoiding an electoral backlash.
The Sunday Age can reveal that bayside communities in Edithvale and Bonbeach will get their wish to not have elevated rail near their homes, with the government set to announce that those key sections of the track will be lowered under the road.
Rail under road for bayside suburbs.
Residents in Mentone and Cheltenham won't get a 'sky rail' but more people in the area will be forced to sell their properties.
However, a "hybrid" version of skyrail will be built in Seaford – where the government insists it is not feasible to lower the line due to the impact a trench would have on the Kananook creek and nearby wetlands – while an elevated bridge will also be built on a semi-industrial section of the line at Skye Road, towards the end of the train line.
The move to limit skyrail on certain parts of the Frankston line is likely be welcomed by some residents, and give an element of comfort to marginal seat Labor MPs Tim Richardson (Mordialloc), Sonya Kilkenny (Carrum) and Paul Edbrooke (Frankston).
An artist's impression of skyrail.
"We've listened to the experts and the community to work out the best solution at each site," said Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan.
"Cost is only one factor in deciding how to remove a level crossing – it's also about what's feasible and what the community want."
Nonetheless, there are still likely to be political risks, because some campaigners believe the government's level crossing removals program should not at any stage involve elevated rail.
"Skyrail is an attack on people's livelihood and their number one asset: family homes, so I don't think it's going to go down well if you put it on any part of the Frankston line," said Cameron Howe, from the Carrum and Patterson Lakes forum.
Illustration: Matt Golding .
The Sunday Age can also report:
* Under the government's latest plan, Bonbeach and Edithvale crossings will be removed by lowering the rail line at Station Street/Bondi Road and Edithvale Road, with trenches roughly one kilometre long at both sites.
*Due to the water table at Seaford, a "hybrid" design has been chosen that involves lowering Seaford Road by about 1.5 metres (a level that won't disturb ground water) while raising the railway line on a small planted embankment (around five metres high at its highest point).
* The Carrum level crossing removal, while still under consideration, is likely to involve a rail bridge.
The decision to trench under the road at Edithvale and Bonbeach could end up costing more or potentially take more time because an environmental effects statement, spanning at least 12 months, will need to be conducted to ensure that flood risks and other dangers are mitigated. The government says the cost and time frame will be determined as part of the tender process.
It also comes days after the government announced it would lower the tracks to remove three other key crossings along the Frankston line: Charman Road and Park Road in Cheltenham and Balcombe Road in Mentone – a move that would involve demolishing 25 homes and seven business premises.
Opposition spokesman David Davis accused Premier Daniel Andrews of "hoodwinking" Victorians by not presenting them with skyrail before the election. "Of course he didn't – because it's a stinker," Mr Davis said.
Skyrail has been a pressure point for the government for the more than a year – ever since it announced plans to built elevated rail along the Cranbourne-Pakenham line, without properly consulting the local community. However, the Frankston corridor includes sandbelt suburbs where elections tend to be won or lost, and residents have long made it clear that they could punish Labor as a result of it.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/no-sk ... ulb5i.html
Andrews Government facing budget blowout over the cost of removing rail level crossings on Frankston line Herald Sun February 26, 2017.
THE Andrews Government could face a budget blowout over the cost of removing rail level crossings at Edithvale and Bonbeach in Melbourne’s south east.
The government yesterday announced it would lower the rail line rather than build “sky rail’’ stops at the stations in the suburbs in key marginal seats.
But Transport Minister Jacinta Allan was yesterday unable to give a clear answer about how much it would cost the May Budget and whether the decision not to elevate the crossings would sting taxpayers.
“Cost is only one factor in deciding how to remove a level crossing — it’s also about what’s feasible and what the community want,’’ she said.
She said the final costs would be ``determined through the tender process.’’
“It also means we can get rid of them quicker, reducing congestion and making these communities safer, sooner,’’ she said.
The Herald Sun understands the budget for eight level-crossing removals along the Frankston line could blow out by between $1 and $2 billion if suburban sky rail options are dumped.
Five sites have the option of expensive rail trenches while three, in Carrum and Frankston, are earmarked for rail bridges.
A “hybrid’’ approach will be carried out at a rail crossing to be removed at Seaford with the road lowered about 1.5m and the rail line raised the same amount due to groundwater issues.
Opposition leader Matthew Guy accused Premier Daniel Andrews of “playing politics with infrastructure’’.
“Marginal seats get a trench — which he then opposed last year — now he’s in favour of,’’ he said.
“Safe seats that he takes for granted and couldn’t care less about, they get sky rail.’’
No Sky Rail Frankston Line president Willem Popp said the under road option was a win for Bayside residents.
“We are over the moon,’’ he said.
A decision on the type of level crossing to be built at Carrum, likely to involve a rail bridge, is expected to be announced in coming weeks.
•No sky rail at Cheltenham and Mentone stations.
•Residents ‘still in the dark’ on skyrail.
•Melbourne’s sky rail starts to rise.
•Final sky rail designs revealed.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victor ... bbb64e93e3 52 comments, mainly political sniping rather than technical.
Melbourne sky rail: Mordialloc man says elevated train line could be ‘tourist attraction’.
Mordialloc Chelsea Leader, February 26, 2017.
AS anti-sky rail protesters ramp up their campaign, one lone wolf has raised his voice in favour of an elevated train line he says could be “a tourist attraction”.
Community groups have welcomed the State Government’s decision to lower the Frankston rail line under road at Mentone and Cheltenham.
But they’ve pledged to keep fighting for the same decision for the remaining sites where level crossing are to be removed.
However, Mordialloc local Tolley Cacavas, who lives near an elevated section of track, said sky rail could be an opportunity to entice tourists to get on a train from Melbourne and head to the seaside suburbs, afterwards exploring the winery region beyond Frankston.
“While you’re on the train and you’re sitting up a bit higher … you’ve got this opportunity to show off your coastline, show off your bay,” Mr Cacavas said.
“It’s quite an attractive site and why not sell it like that? The government could make it (rail over road) into an environmental feature or tourist attraction.”
But retired Parkdale businessman Grahame Brandon, who has called for all the disperate anti-sky rail groups to band together, dismissed the idea.
“That’s all right for the people on the train, but it’s not good for the people who live near the rail line, because all they’re seeing is a blank high wall in front of them,” Mr Brandon said.
“The people on the train might get the benefit of it, but nobody else does.”
Sean Wise, from the No sky rail: Frankston Line group, said the remaining level crossings should have rail under road — even at Carrum where the Level Crossing Removal Authority has said elevated rail is the only option.
Mr Wise, an engineer, said Carrum residents were “absolutely devastated and gutted”.
Many bayside residents have been angered by the sky rail. Picture: Jay Town “People get that you live near a train line, but the overshadowing (of a sky rail) — what kind of quality of life will they have?”
The group has done its own study at Carrum and believed a rail under road trench option was possible.
LXRA acting project director Brad Smits said they were still finalising designs of the remaining removals and further announcements about the Frankston line would be made in coming weeks.
“There are a range of complex engineering, environmental and hydrological challenges at each site on the Frankston line — particularly Carrum where the Patterson River joins the bay,” Mr Smits said.
It comes following a Fairfax report that the sky rail would not be built in the neighbouring bayside coommunities of Edithvale and Bonbeach, which are some of the Andrews government’s most marginal suburbs.
•Sky rail bungle as dig starts without permit •Residents ‘still in the dark’ on skyrail •Sky rail protest gets personal •Libs offer to help pay for sky rail alternatives.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inne ... f6b638bdd0 62 comments, mainly trivial.
170226Su Melbourne 'Age' - Frankston-line crossings.