Duplicating Melbourne’s least-reliable railway line through the city’s growing northern suburbs would cost the taxpayer just over $245 million – a figure the Greens have likened to the removal of a level crossing.

Building a second track on the Upfield line past Gowrie would cost $246 million, and a less-expensive “turn-back” facility that could also boost services would cost $54.5 million, Parliamentary Budget Office costings, commissioned by the Greens and provided to The Age , show.

Both figures do not include ongoing operating and maintenance costs, which would cost the state budget about $49.9 million over the next decade.

Commuters in Melbourne’s northern suburbs have had to deal with far less frequent services than other parts of the network because the railway line runs on onl

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