New dedicated trains for standalone Suburban Rail Loop

Suburban Rail Loop will be a twin-tunnel, standalone line with a dedicated fleet of high-tech trains.

Detailed technical planning has determined that the Loop will be built as a separate rail line, meaning it can use state-of-the-art systems from around the world without having to retrofit technology into the existing network – saving time and money.

This also means the design of Suburban Rail Loop trains won’t be constrained by the requirements of Melbourne’s 100-year-old train network. The new trains will be four to five carriages long and will provide turn-up-and-go services.

Suburban Rail Loop will integrate with our existing public transport network and passengers will be able to easily transfer across both rail networks, with the same ticketing system servicing both. It will also provide for a seamless interchange to Melbourne Airport Rail services.

Progress to date

Suburban Rail Loop will be the biggest infrastructure investment undertaken in Victoria and will be delivered over several decades.

Since its establishment in September, the Suburban Rail Loop Authority has brought together expertise across planning, social and economic development, and rail infrastructure. Development work is progressing, with initial construction works on stage one (Cheltenham to Box Hill) to commence in 2022.

Technical, planning and design work, and stakeholder consultation is well underway to inform the detailed alignment and station location options along the Suburban Rail Loop corridor.

Pre-construction work on stage one is gathering pace with geotechnical drilling underway at locations between Box Hill and Cheltenham. This program of work will ramp up from early next year with approximately 100 boreholes to be drilled by mid-2020.

These on-the-ground activities, along with expert technical assessments, help to inform our planning and design work and Investment Case.

Accessible drop-off and taxi bays and bicycle storage facilities are proposed for the new station. Enhancements to Clayton Road will improve access to the bus interchange, with landscape improvements and additional open space also proposed to support the existing parkland under the elevated rail line.

Creating choice

Suburban Rail Loop will change the way many people live and move around Melbourne and Victoria and improve the liveability of growth areas and job centres. Establishing better connections to health, education and employment hubs means greater choice and opportunities for people in our suburbs and regional Victoria.

Suburban Rail Loop will be a catalyst for renewal, and precincts around Suburban Rail Loop stations will be great places for people to live and work. It will create employment opportunities closer to home, and provide new and affordable housing choices, as well as new and improved community spaces and facilities.

Stage one will establish a well-connected corridor of health, education and knowledge-intensive employment opportunities between Box Hill and Cheltenham.

Connectivity

Support the development of an integrated transport network that increases travel options and access to places, and enhances the passenger experience.

Liveability

Create more sustainable and resilient precincts in Melbourne’s suburbs to generate new social and economic opportunities and to make people’s lives better.

Productivity

Support population growth and a focus on jobs and investment closer to where people live; strengthen access to, and investment in regional Victoria.

Capturing feedback

We’ve been busy engaging with Councils and other stakeholders in the SRL stage one area about their aspirations and plans and the opportunities Suburban Rail Loop can bring to their local areas. This will help inform our decision making on locations for stations and broader planning for Suburban Rail Loop precincts.

The community is also providing valuable input with more than 3000 people responding to our online "Have your say" survey.

Broader community engagement will ramp up from early 2020.

Survey respondents see the broader benefits of the project — 85% agree the Victorian community will benefit from SRL.

Key benefits identified by the community

• Easier/more convenient way to travel around Melbourne – 86%
• Improve access across the city – 74%
• Potential for improved access in my local area – 52%
• Less congestion on roads – 75%
• Improve transport connections in Melbourne – 82%
• Support population growth in Victoria – 52%
• Create employment opportunities outside Melbourne's CBD – 58%

How many people we've reached

• 288,000+ social media reach
• 3,200+ responses via the 'Have your Say' survey
• 26,655+ website visits
• 7,100+ interactions in person

Next steps

The Victorian Government has committed $300 million for planning, investigations and investment case development for Suburban Rail Loop.

Geotechnical drilling and environmental investigations have commenced and will continue throughout 2020.

• August 2018 – Project announced
• 2019 – Planning and development work
• 2020 – Market engagement
• 2021 – Investment case
• 2022 – Targeted start of works on the south east section