It’s been a common suggestion for solving the overcrowding at Southern Cross station: why not open up the subway under Spencer Street that was closed off more than a decade ago?

A broken escalator on platforms nine and 10 has thrown the spotlight on congestion at one of Melbourne’s busiest train stations – however one way of easing the bottleneck appears unlikely to be used.

The underpass beneath Spencer Street was closed in 2005. Credit:Nick Kocher

The underpass from Little Collins Street to Southern Cross will remain closed in the near future due to large pipes, added since the station’s redevelopment, that have made it unsuitable for public use.

The subway has been closed since 2005 but a dramatic spike in passenger numbers at Southern Cross has led to congestion on the station's platforms and at surrounding road intersections. An estimated 280,000 passengers use the station each day.