The Victorian Government has been accused of downplaying a major stuff up during a level crossing removal in Melbourne’s west.
Deer Park’s new station, built under Victoria’s Level Crossing Removal Project, was supposed to accommodate for longer, nine-car trains to help deal with increasing passenger loads.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: A new Deer Park Station railway platform built too short for trains
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today 
However when the station was upgraded and reopened in April 2023, the platform was 10m too short.
Premier Jacinta Allan has denied it was an oversight and said the platform will be extended as part of the upcoming $650 million upgrade to the Melton line.
“This is a good example of how we have a sequence of investments and how each investment builds on the one before it,” she said.
Others are more sceptical, with Liberal public transport spokesperson Matthew Guy questioning the mistake after the government recently and correctly built a platform for nine-car trains in Sunshine.
“Nine carriage trains need a 225m platform,” he said.
“That’s what they built at sunshine … (then) they rebuilt deer park at 215m, why?”
Daniel Bowen from the Public Transport Users Association said: “It shouldn’t be too much to ask that government departments co-ordinate these projects properly”.
The premier is being accused of favouring the Suburban Rail Loop, the state’s biggest infrastructure project, which will connect every major train line from the Frankston line to the Werribee line via the airport.
She has disputed concerns the project is putting Victoria at risk of a record low credit rating.
The government has so far been unable to can’t say how much the 90km rail line will cost however Liberal leader John Pesutto believes there are going to be “massive blowouts”, particularly after an independent analysis that suggested it would cost about $216 billion.
In Deer Park, an extension to the platform will involve months of planning and relocation of cables, signals and CCTV.
It’s expected to cost millions of taxpayer dollars and won’t be finished until 2028.