Flights axed, traffic delayed as fog blankets Melbourne
Dozens of flights have been cancelled at Melbourne Airport on Tuesday due to weather conditions, while commuters are being warned of traffic delays as fog blankets parts of the state.
Several flights were delayed for up to an hour, mostly due to cancellations on Monday, with Melbourne Airport reporting the cancellations of eight inbound flights and 20 departures before 7am.
Fog has settled across Melbourne, including the inner north-west suburb of Kensington.Credit: Eliza Sum
More than 100 domestic flights in and out of the airport were cancelled on Monday due to the weather, which is expected to continue affecting domestic and some international travellers throughout the day.
During what is one of the airport’s busiest periods, more than 10,000 passengers are expected through the airport each day as the Christmas holidays get under way.
The fog is expected to clear by midday with a top of 32 degrees forecast for the city. The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of a possible thunderstorm in the afternoon or early evening.
Melbourne Airport has advised passengers travelling on Tuesday to check with their airline for any changes to flight departure times.
“Fog and low cloud may reduce the number of aircraft able to land at Melbourne Airport this morning, which could result in delays,” a spokesperson said.
Motorists have also been warned of delays, with speed limits reduced as fog affects visibility. In Melbourne’s south-east, all outbound lanes of the Princes Highway in Oakleigh East have been closed between Huntingdale Road and Clayton Road due to a fatal collision early on Tuesday.
A car travelling along the Princes Highway, near Dublin Street, veered off the road and crashed into a tree. Police say the driver died at the scene.
Delays are building on the Princes Highway in both directions, with one inbound lane also closed for the safety of crews working at the incident. The transport department has advised motorists to allow extra time for the detours via Ferntree Gully Road or North Road.
Local bus services will detour around the road closure and will miss stops in the area.
“This closure is under the control of Victoria Police and the road will only reopen when investigations are complete and it’s safe to do so,” a spokesperson said.
“Our signals team is monitoring conditions in the area and will adjust traffic lights to minimise congestion along detour routes.”
Drivers using the Western Freeway faced delays due to fog affecting visibility along stretches of road between Melton and Ballarat. The speed has been reduced to 60 km/h along the highway as repairs continue following a multi-car crash involving 14 vehicles at Myrniong on Monday.
The freeway reopened overnight after the incident near Bacchus Marsh closed the road in both directions. Police say the crash occurred when heavy fog set in just before 4pm on Monday, while five other separate collisions took place in the surrounding area.
Two men are in critical condition after the separate crashes, which involved about 30 vehicles, caused traffic chaos in the north-west of Melbourne, with 20 patients taken to hospital on Monday.
Train travel has also been impacted for some users. People travelling to and from Geelong have been advised to expect significant delays after a truck driver was killed at a level crossing in North Shore on Monday.
Police believe the truck became stuck on a level crossing, before it was struck by a V/Line train.
Geelong trains will operate between Lara and Waurn Ponds until further notice, with coaches replacing services.
While passengers were advised to catch buses from stations in the Geelong area, the car park at Lara was full before 9am.
Delays are expected to continue across the V/Line network this week due to protected industrial action. V/Line trains will not run between 3am and 7am on Wednesday.
While metropolitan trains, trams, buses and coaches will run to the normal timetable we expect services and roads to be busier than usual, a V/Line spokesperson said.
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