Suburban Rail Loop is a city and state-shaping project that will transform Victoria’s public transport system, enhance Melbourne’s middle suburbs and create a long pipeline of jobs.

Suburban Rail Loop East (SRL East) will connect Melbourne’s growing health, education, retail and employment precincts between Cheltenham and Box Hill.

The 26-kilometre SRL East tunnel will be built as a standalone line that is integrated with the existing public transport network.

A high-tech fleet of energy efficient trains will run on the line, stopping at the 6 new underground stations at Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill.

Planning processes

After two years of detailed planning and development work, SRL East’s Environment Effects Statement (EES) has been released.

The SRL East EES identifies benefits and potential impacts during construction and operation and proposes ways to avoid, minimise, offset or manage any effects.

The EES for SRL East includes 36 technical reports across 19 topics such as noise, vibration, traffic, ecology and social impacts.

Also released is a draft Planning Scheme Amendment (PSA) showing proposed changes to local planning schemes so land can be used to build rail infrastructure for SRL East.

What we’ve heard so far about traffic and transport

Since mid-2019, we’ve engaged with over 20,000 people via online and face to face consultation.

Key feedback relating to traffic and transport included:

• Need for easy and safe connections to existing public transport.
• Questions about existing local traffic congestion and any further impacts SRL East might have.
• Requests for walking and cycling to be prioritised with suggestions for the provision of safe, secure bike parking and improved walking and cycling connections.
• Questions about impacts to existing public transport and walking and cycling paths during construction.
• Questions about increased truck movements during construction.

This factsheet

We’ve developed a suite of fact sheets to help you navigate the SRL East EES and connect you with the information that is relevant to you.

This fact sheet provides information about how potential impacts on traffic and transport have been considered and explains where you can find more detail in the SRL East EES.

EES study topics covered in this fact sheet:

• Traffic and transport
• Temporary changes
• Permanent changes
• Construction traffic
• Public transport disruption
• Car parking
• Pedestrian and cycling connections

Keeping Melbourne’s suburbs moving

Population projections indicate that Melbourne’s transport system will need to cope with an additional 11.8 million trips per day by 2050.

To ensure Melbourne remains a sustainable and liveable city, the share of public transport and active transport trips across Melbourne must increase.

Suburban Rail Loop will open up new possibilities, opportunities and choices in the way we work, live and travel. SRL East will generate around 70,000 daily trips and motivate more people to leave their cars at home.

SRL East will connect communities, creating a new rail line as well as delivering 15 kilometres of new and upgraded walking and cycling paths across the SRL East alignment.

SRL East will provide a number of beneficial transport outcomes, including:

• Better public transport access beyond the immediate SRL East precincts and rail network.
• Enhance connectivity to places of state significance.
• Reduce congestion on the major roads.
• Deliver attractive sustainable transport alternatives to private vehicle travel.
• Provide vibrant places with open space and connected pedestrian and cycle paths.

However, as with any major infrastructure project, surrounding communities may experience some impacts, including traffic and transport disruptions, during construction.

Assessing traffic and transport

SRL East would result in some changes to traffic and transport conditions in Melbourne’s east and south east during the construction and operation phases of the project. The EES assesses temporary and permanent changes to traffic and transport conditions and outlines key mitigation measures to manage adverse impacts to traffic and transport.

Managing traffic and transport impacts

Suburban Rail Loop Authority is committed to minimising impacts on traffic and transport during both the construction and operation of SRL East.

A number of mitigation measures have been identified. These form the basis of Environmental Performance Requirements (EPRs) recommended by specialists through the EES process.

The recommended EPRs for traffic and transport include:

• Developing and implementing precinct-based construction transport management plans designed to minimise disruption to traffic, car parking, public transport and pedestrian and cycling movements.
• Planning and coordinating construction activities with other major developments and projects to minimise impacts on the community and provide safe access to buildings and properties.
• Managing road, public and active transport impacts during construction and designing for safe and connected outcomes.

Traffic and transport studies

Transport modelling was undertaken to understand current and anticipated future traffic conditions within each precinct along the SRL East alignment.

Traffic modelling considered:

• Existing conditions and local road network performance.
• Using transport models to assess traffic and transport conditions in 2031 and 2041 with and without the project in place.
• Assessing existing and future networks in each SRL station location and any residual impacts of the project.

Assessments considered the impact on the rail network, tram network, bus network, road network, and cycling and pedestrian routes.

Traffic and transport changes

Building 26-kilometres of twin rail tunnels, six new underground stations and supporting infrastructure will cause some unavoidable disruptions to traffic and transport, including:

Temporary short-term and longer-term changes to local streets and roads to facilitate construction.

• Permanent changes to the road network to incorporate SRL East.
• Temporary disruptions to public transport including buses and trams.
• Trucks and construction workers generating additional local traffic.
• Changes to car parking in local areas.
• Pedestrian and cycling connections.

Temporary changes

The majority of changes in traffic and transport conditions would be temporary to allow for the safe construction of SRL East in Melbourne’s east and south east suburbs.

Construction staging would be scheduled so that multiple roads are not closed at the same time to allow traffic detours around construction areas.

Due to geological conditions in the Kingston and Monash local government areas, surface-level ground improvement works would be required at some locations above the tunnels before excavating cross passages. In some instances, these works may result in short-term full or partial local road closures.

Temporary closures and diversions would be required around construction sites including:

Cheltenham

Partial closure of the Nepean Highway service road north of Bay Road during construction works.

Stabling Facility

Modifications to the intersection of Old Dandenong Road with Kingston Road.

Clayton

Staged modifications of Clayton Road and closure of Carinish Road between Clayton Road and the Clayton Link Road for the duration of works.

Monash

Temporary lane and road closures on Howleys Road, Normanby Road and Ferntree Gully Road.

Glen Waverley

Closures of local streets including Myrtle Street, Coleman Parade and Montclair Avenue for the duration of works.

Burwood

Temporary closures of Burwood Highway out of peak hours to minimise disruption.

Box Hill

Temporary closure of Irving Avenue to vehicles and limiting Elland Avenue and Hiltons Lane to local traffic.

Permanent changes

The operation of SRL East may facilitate some permanent changes to the road network including:

Cheltenham

Road space on Bay Road near the new station will be reallocated to provide multi-modal access with a new bus interchange adjacent the SRL station.

Stabling Facility

Closure of Old Dandenong Road between Kingston Road and Henry Street to create space for the stabling facility.

Clayton

Closure of Carinish Road between Clayton Road and Clayton Link Road to allow for safe pedestrian and cyclist movements.

Glen Waverley

Closure of Coleman Parade and Glendale Street between Myrtle Street and Kingsway, allowing for safe and connected interchange with Glen Waverley station and the bus interchange.

Burwood

Extension of Sinnott Street to connect with Burwood Highway providing space for a new bus interchange adjacent to the SRL station.

Box Hill

Northern side of Whitehorse Road realigned between Nelson Road and Linsley Street to allow space for safe pedestrian and cyclist movements.

Monash

Provision of a new bus interchange off Howleys Road adjacent the SRL station and new internal road network for access to pick up and drop off facilities.

Construction traffic

Construction of SRL East will generate excavated material that would need to be transported from work sites for disposal or re-use. Materials and equipment to build the tunnels and stations would also be delivered to construction work sites by trucks.

These activities would add to existing traffic activity and may temporarily affect local traffic conditions and the amenity of nearby residences and businesses. Traffic volumes will be higher around tunnelling sites, including the train stabling facility in Heatherton and at Monash and Burwood.

Truck movements would mostly occur outside peak periods and mainly during daytime hours. There would be a need for some truck movements 24 hours a day at some times and locations. Potential routes would recognise sensitive land uses and movements would be planned accordingly.

Construction transport management plans would include designated truck routes for each location with the aim of moving construction traffic away from local areas to arterial roads and freeways as quickly as possible.

More information, including maps of proposed inbound and outbound construction traffic routes, can be found in the traffic and transport sections of the SRL East EES.

Cheltenham

• Access to the construction site is proposed from Bay Road and Nepean Highway.
• Likely construction traffic designated routes include Bay Road, Nepean Highway, Centre Dandenong Road, Warrigal Road, Dingley Bypass and Mordialloc Freeway.

Stabling Facility

• Access to the construction site is proposed via Old Dandenong Road and Kingston Road.
• Likely construction traffic designated routes include Kingston Road, Clarinda Road, Westall Road, Warrigal Road, Dingley Bypass and surrounding freeways.

Clayton

• Access to the construction site is proposed via Clayton Road, Madeleine Road and Carinish Road (occasional use).
• Likely construction traffic designated routes include Clayton Road, Ferntree Gully Road, North Road, Wellington Road, Springvale Road and Monash Freeway.

Monash

• Access to the construction site is proposed via Normanby Road and Howleys Road.
• Likely construction traffic designated routes include Normanby Road, Blackburn Road, Howleys Road, Ferntree Gully Road, Forster Road and Monash Freeway.

Glen Waverley

• Access to the construction site is proposed via Coleman Parade and Montclair Avenue.
• Likely construction traffic designated routes include Coleman Parade, Montclair Avenue, Springvale Road, Waverley Road, Blackburn Road and Monash Freeway.
• High Street Road, Blackburn Road, Stephensons Road, Monash Freeway and Eastlink are likely to be used during emergency support facility construction.

Burwood

• Access to the construction site is proposed via Burwood Highway and Sinnott Street.
• Trucks will use designated roads in the area to service the station and the power supply substation construction sites.
• Likely construction traffic designated routes include Burwood Highway, Blackburn Road, Middleborough Road, Stephensons Road, Eastlink and Monash Freeway.

Box Hill

• Access to the construction site is proposed via Whitehorse Road and Station Street, limiting access to Elland Avenue and Hiltons Lane from Station Street to local traffic.
• Likely construction traffic designated routes include Station Street, Elgar Road, Middleborough Road, Highbury Road and the Eastern Freeway.

Public transport disruption

With most construction activity taking place below ground, the construction impacts of SRL East on transport networks and connectivity including existing services would be minimised.

However, there may still be some temporary unavoidable disruptions to public transport during construction, including:

Cheltenham

Potential travel time delays to bus services that operate around the Southland bus interchange or use Nepean Highway and Bay Road.

Stabling Facility

• Rerouting the 631 bus service via Dingley Bypass to Clarinda Road before the permanent closure of Old Dandenong Road.
• Potential travel time delays for buses that use Kingston Road.

Clayton

Potential minor travel time delays to bus services that operate around the Clayton Road bus interchange and travel along Clayton Road.

Monash

Potential minor travel time delays to bus services including the 703, 737 and 742 that use local roads and operate around the northern entrance to Monash University.

Glen Waverley

• Rerouting the 737 bus service via Montclair Avenue and Myrtle Street due to the closure of Coleman Parade.
• Potential travel time delays for the 737 bus service.

Burwood

• Potential disruption to tram services (route 75) and tram stop 63. Potential disruption to bus services that operate around Deakin University or use Burwood Highway.
• Potential travel time delays to the 201, 281, 767 and 768 bus services during construction.

Box Hill

• Relocation of the tram terminus to the west of Market Street including short term disruption to route 109 tram services on Whitehorse Road for its construction..
• Potential travel time delays to bus services that operate around Box Hill bus interchange or use Whitehorse Road and Station Street.

Car parking

In some precincts, construction works would result in the temporary and permanent loss of car parking spaces. Detailed construction transport management plans would include measures to minimise disruption to traffic, car parking, pedestrian and bicycle movements during construction.

This may include replacement parking and providing suitable alternate routes for vehicles to maintain connectivity to cark parks and properties.

Pedestrian and cycling connections

The majority of pedestrian and cycling paths would remain open during construction, with some temporary closures and diversions required in identified locations, including Old Dandenong Road in Heatherton, Clayton Road in Clayton, and around construction sites in Glen Waverley and Box Hill.

The location of proposed closures and diversions would be specified in construction transport management plans and all closures and diversions would be designed to minimise impacts to users and the surrounding area, while allowing sufficient space for safe construction.

Make a submission

Submissions on the SRL East EES and draft Planning Scheme Amendment (PSA) are invited during the public exhibition period.

Submissions must be made in writing to Planning Panels Victoria and received by 11:59pm on Thursday 16 December 2021.

For questions relating to submissions contact the Department of Environment Land Water and Planning Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

To make a submission visit Engage Vic.