In the mid-20th century there were many crazy plans to rebuild Melbourne as a modern city, and this proposal from the Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Scheme 1954 would be one of the most extreme – the entire top end of Bourke Street would be bulldozed to make room for a new civic square.
In the past decade V/Line patronage has exploded, with millions more passenger journeys being made each year. What is the driver behind it – improved services, or regional sprawl? There is also another factor – the 20% fare cut of 2007.
There are many ways to remove a level crossing – with closing the road being the easiest. An example can be found in Terang, a town of 1,800 people located on the Melbourne-Warrnambool railway line in south-west Victoria.
