Rail works explained

Planned upgrades to the Gippsland railway line will be explained by Rail Project Victoria representatives at Warragul tomorrow morning.

They will be available for talks at the Warragul; station between 8am and 10am.

Works between now and late 2022 expected to cost about $530 million will be jointly funded by the federal and state governments.

Major elements of the project include second platforms at Bunyip, Longwarry, Traralgon and Morwell; duplication of the line from Bunyip to Longwarry and sections between Moe to Traralgon, and a new bridge over the Avon River at Stratford.

Although the bridge is not expected to be completed until 2021 V/Locity passenger trains will be introduced next month operating four of the six daily services from Mondays to Saturdays and two of the four services on Sundays.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said a six-week geotechnical survey along the line between Bunyip and Longwarry had just been completed.

She said the information gathered would be used to decide how to build the new infrastructure.

Construction on the rail corridor will begin next year after site investigations, planning approvals and the appointment of contractors.

Train travellers can keep up to date on progress at regionalrailrevival.vic.gov.au/Gippsland