However, a $300 million proposal to overhaul the station pitched to the Victorian government three years ago has stalled. The Age understands that Civic Nexus, the company with a 30-year lease on the station until 2036, is now in separate discussions with the Andrews government about urgent improvements to the station, potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Peak hour at Southern Cross Station. Credit:Eddie Jim If the government refuses to fund the urgent upgrades, the company has a contractual right to lower its key performance indicators, which relate to cleaning and maintenance of the station. The government is under pressure to find a solution quickly, with airport trains set to run from as early as 2027, which could feed even more trains into Southern Cross.

The number of passengers flocking to Southern Cross is growing faster than any other CityLoop station, according to government figures. Within 12 years, the station with 16 platforms will be well and truly the busiest in the city, these figures show. Flinders Street Station will have about 250,000 daily passengers, followed by Melbourne Central, Parliament and Flagstaff, which would have between 80,000 and 100,000 passengers. The station’s chief executive Colin Chanter called for upgrades to the station, which was redeveloped in 2006 and had two new platforms added in 2015. "It's the busiest public transport hub in Victoria and it's only going to get busier. The time for an upgrade is now," Mr Chanter said.

"The growth pressure ... is leading to increased crowding and waiting times, particularly around the escalators. "Airport trains are just one factor but not the most significant one; it's just the growth of public transport use and increasing services that have increased pressure." Under the deal between the government and Southern Cross, the company can rewrite its contract and charge the government more money if the number of passengers rises significantly. The trigger point for these negotiations is when passengers reach 30,000 people an hour during the peak period. It appears that this number may have been surpassed. The commuter crush on platform 10 at Southern Cross Station. Credit:Eddie Jim

The $300 million company proposal - separate to the upgrade negotiations - includes a wide, elevated footbridge that would provide extra access to platforms, which would also be lengthened. It also includes $100 million for an overhaul of the bus terminal. Under the proposal, the company would fund the upgrades in return for a four-year extension on its lease. The station is also part of a consortium including Metro Trains, Melbourne Airport and IFM Investors, which is behind a separate proposal to build the airport rail link.

Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen warned that crowding on escalators at peak times "has the potential to be dangerous when large numbers of people are on the platform due to delayed trains or long waits after big events". "Problems are exacerbated when escalators are faulty or out of service for maintenance, resulting in queues." The Transport Department believes 181,462 people use metropolitan and V/Line trains at Southern Cross Station on an average weekday. The department’s data is based on myki touch-ons, passenger load surveys and manual counts, whereas the station’s figures are based on sensors at each entrance counting entries and exits. Commuters at the Southern Cross Station between 8am and 9am. Credit:Eddie Jim