Vic Skyrail 'will prevent transport chaos'

Sinking Melbourne rail lines into the ground would cause "transport chaos" by shutting down a rail line for 230 days during construction, the Victorian government says.

The state government's latest pro-Skyrail drive was delivered on Wednesday in conjunction with a report by university transport experts, who say it's a better option and will free up valuable land.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said it would deliver kilometres of new parks rather than ugly rail trenches, and be faster to build with less disruption to roads and rail.

The report, The Benefits of Level Crossing Removals, concluded that well-designed elevated train lines, like in Balaclava and Hawthorn, were better for car drivers and shoppers than sinking tracks or roads into the ground.

But the Victorian opposition says the premier is "paying people" to produce reports that mirror the government's stance.

Residents and retail groups in suburbs along the Cranbourne/Pakenham line say they were kept in the dark during the consultation process and have labelled the proposal the "Shamdrews Slyrail".