News / Transport
Small business owners fear rail reconstruction could ‘kill us’
Businesses near railway line criticise lack of consultation
Ava Wilcox
Friday, May 1, 2026
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Small business owners along Brunswick’s Upfield corridor fear for their survival during the approaching reconstruction into an elevated railway and don’t yet know how the state government will support them.
Brunswick could be at risk of losing unique small businesses surrounding the Upfield rail line due to disruption and reduced patronage related to the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) now set to start construction between 2027 and 2028.
While planning for the massive project to remove eight level crossings along the 2 km stretch of the Upfield line between Park Street and Albion Street is still underway, business owners in the immediate area feel that little focus has been given to them.
In a public update about the project released, the government stated that it would work with local traders to manage the impacts of the construction on their businesses.
But so far, multiple business owners have received no consultation, leaving them in the dark regarding how significantly they could be affected or how the government will assist them.
Jeremy Massa, owner of Acústico Café on Union Street which sits no more than 20 metres from the rail line felt overlooked by the government in the planning process and believes the project could very likely force him out of business.
“Unless there’s some sort of compensation, some sort of promise that I’m going to be able to get by, I’m going to have to start again, which they don’t think about,” Massa said.
“We’re talking about my livelihood here.”
When asked what actions he would like the government to take to engage local businesses in the planning process Massa said: “It would be nice if they could get someone down here to talk to people who actually operate the businesses because at the end of the day, we matter.”
Massa said communication from the project to nearby businesses like his had been non-existent. He said he only found out about a recent series of information sessions after they had happened, and even then it was from a customer.
Lux Foundry owner Daniel Amato fears how the disruptive construction of one of the line’s two new stations neighbouring him will affect his largely outdoor café on Hope Street.
“That’s my biggest fear, you know, it’s our ability to retain customers based on the noise levels.”
Reggie Campbell, the owner of the Victoria Hotel raised similar concerns, specifically around the closure of roads crossing the rail line.
“If roads are blocked off and [customers] are walking to the pub, they just might go somewhere else,” he said.
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The elevation of the Upfield rail will eliminate eight level crossings which contribute to congestion issues between the east and west sides of Brunswick, allowing pedestrians and vehicles to easily cross under the rail line.
The government suggests that this freeing up of movement will increase accessibility to establishments on either side of the tracks and ultimately boost business.
But although business owners who spoke to Brunswick Voice saw the project as a benefit in the long term, they are concerned they might not survive to reap its benefits.
“It’s going to be a significant change for the entire area,” said Sydney Road Business Association (SRBA) manager Troy Stuchbree.
Because of recent changes in its operational rules, the SRBA is now able to offer associate membership to businesses between Sydney Road and the rail line and hopes to take on a liaison role in support of local businesses as planning for the LXRP continues.
“We’re trying to make connections with the right people within the LXRP team so that when we get closer to the kick-off date of construction, we can have pre-emptive conversations about what that might look like and how we can best support the precinct,” Stuchbree said.
A spokesperson for the LXRP said the project team would support local traders by forming dedicated information lines, referring the project’s workforce to affected businesses, instituting additional marketing on their behalf, and arranging activation events and programs to stimulate business.
Whether these measures will be enough to keep local small businesses open, time will tell.
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Whilst I support local counterpoint opinions, the reason I moved to Brunswick is because it’s a progressive suburb. It only takes a few NIMBYs to derail and delay a good project (e.g. ripping up the bike lanes in other suburbs because of a few business complaints of needing parking)
The Upfield line upgrades are going to have such a positive impact on the suburb, any further delays will make our State gov want to prioritise other areas of the wider Big Build that are easier to work with (like they already have).
I cross my fingers we cal all just let the project move along please and report on what actually happens to businesses rather than postulate what could happen, because if we look at the data, most businesses