The Government of Victoria in Australia has revealed the blueprint of the A$130m ($96m) programme to upgrade and decongest Ballarat rail network and offer quick and reliable freight corridors from the Murray Basin region to the ports.

Under the Freight-Passenger Rail Separation Project, several track and signalling improvements will be carried out that were not part of the original Murray Basin Rail Project. The project will also provide the infrastructure to support future increase in passenger rail.

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Victoria Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan said: “We’re continuing our unprecedented investment in regional rail infrastructure and investing in works to remove a major bottleneck in the Ballarat area to improve efficiencies between rail passenger and freight train operations.

“Improved track geometry and the removal of congestion points will provide faster freight services to decongest Ballarat rail travel.”

“The Freight-Passenger Rail Separation Project will ensure that we maximise the benefits of the Murray Basin Rail Project and the Ballarat Line Upgrade. That means more passenger services in the future and dedicated pathways for freight to the ports.”

Broad-gauge passenger services will be separated from standard-gauge freight services to decongest railways through the Ballarat station precinct.

In order to remove a bottleneck at the Armstrong Street bridge, more than 1km of track will also be duplicated between the station and North Ballarat Junction.

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The project will also ensure that at least 42 return freight paths per week are available from the Murray Basin region through Ballarat.

The number of signalling systems on the Ballarat corridor will be reduced and the 1970s signalling system will be modernised.

Improved track geometry and the removal of congestion points will provide faster freight services to decongest Ballarat rail travel.

Additionally, the project will benefit future passenger service improvements, including a fifth daily V/Line service to Ararat. It will support additional services to Maryborough and retain the dual-gauge connection between Maryborough and Dunolly to enable travel to Dunolly.

Rail Projects Victoria will collaborate with Transport for Victoria and V/Line to obtain feedback from the freight industry before delivering the final project.