The newest outer eastern suburbs train station has been unveiled marking the official end of level crossings on the Lilydale Line.
Welcoming passengers back to Croydon Train Station on Monday 12 August, it was the second phase of the project to reopen after the connection of Wicklow and Kent Avenues to Lacey Street was completed weeks ago.
North Eastern Metropolitan MP Sonja Terpstra and Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure Delivery Josh Bull visited the new station to officially launch the return of passenger access and train travel.
Transport infrastructure minister Danny Pearson said the “sweeping views out to the Dandenongs” from the skyrail platforms made it an “epic new Croydon Station”.
“The new Croydon Station features more modern facilities and will provide more accessible and safer transport journeys for the community,” he said.
The station, which forms part of the Transport Hub, will be joined by a 14-bay bus interchange and 284 parking spaces expected to be completed later in spring.
“This is a great win for locals and a key part of the new state-of-the-art Croydon Transport Hub, which will provide a safer and more effective way to travel through the town centre,” Ms Terpstra said.
The new fully accessible and staffed station features two elevated platforms, lifts and stairs, toilets and a waiting room.
The station precinct will also feature 650 metres of new walking and cycling paths and more than 70,000 new trees, shrubs, and grasses.
More than 1,600 people use Croydon Station daily and 72,000 passengers use the Lilydale/Belgrave line each weekday, making it the second busiest rail line in the metropolitan network.
Croydon Station is one of six new stations to be built on the Lilydale Line since 2017, as part of the commitment to make the line boom gate free by removing nine level crossings.
The removal of the Coolstore Road level crossing, together with the removal of the Dublin Road level crossing in Ringwood East last month made the Lilydale Line boom gate free.