Why can’t the upgrade be undertaken at night so train services aren’t disrupted during the day?
A. The project is a significant upgrade of the Belair line that involves upgrading the formation and ballast as well as improving stormwater drainage and installing new long-life, gauge convertible concrete sleepers. The construction process requires removal of the existing track, earthworks to construct the new formation layer beneath the track, installation of new drainage and then construction of the new track. The earthworks / drainage process requires a period of time where the track cannot be in place. This makes it extremely inefficient, disruptive and unreliable to try and implement a construction methodology where a safe operating track is returned for each daytime period. Accordingly, this has been assessed as an unsuitable approach for this project. A full closure of the Belair line will allow the works to be completed as quickly, safely and efficiently as possible.
