The new Cheltenham Station is now open after two months of intensive work along the Frankston Line to remove three more level crossings.

Cheltenham is the eighth of 12 new stations to be built on the Frankston Line as part of a $3 billion investment from the Victorian Government.

Cheltenham Station Master Lester Herft says, “The project did an incredible job involving the community and the station staff from day one. This created a smooth transition when handing the station back to Metro. This is the key to success for all new stations.”

“The transformation from what we had in March to what we have today is truly incredible. It’s created a united team involving the station staff, Authorised Officers and Protective Services Officers all under the same roof,” Mr Herft said.

“I’ve been blown away with the positive feedback from passengers. I speak to them every day and they tell me how excited they get when catching a train from the new station.”

Frankston Line trains have been running in the new rail trenches below Park and Charman roads in Cheltenham, and Balcombe Road in Mentone, since mid-July, and the roads have been open since June.

The removal of level crossings has improved safety and eased bottlenecks that caused delays and frustration for the 38,000 vehicles that cross the rail line each day.

Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan marked the reopening of the station and praised project teams for adapting to new ways of working.

“Despite the challenging conditions the pandemic has created, we’re continuing work on our critical infrastructure projects with strict safety measures to create safer connections for our communities and support local jobs,” Minister Allan said.

The new station has two sets of lifts and stairs and a new forecourt and community open space along Charman Road. A multi-level car park is set to be completed next year.

Finishing touches to the Cheltenham and Mentone stations, landscaping and a new 3.5 kilometre walking and cycling path between Cheltenham and Mentone will continue until they are completed later this year.

The new modern stations in Cheltenham and Mentone are five-star Green Star design rated and include solar panels, water saving and rainwater collection, and will significantly reduce potential greenhouse gas emissions.