Transforming more than our rail network

Suburban Rail Loop will transform Victoria’s public transport system and improve access to housing, jobs, education and health facilities in Melbourne's middle suburbs.

Melbourne is growing and Suburban Rail Loop provides an opportunity to plan the services, amenity and infrastructure we need outside the CBD. Suburban Rail Loop will enable clusters of jobs, businesses, quality housing choice and services in our growing middle suburbs – with infrastructure to support and connect them.

Attracting investment in the areas (or precincts) around Suburban Rail Loop stations will mean people living in the suburbs and regional Victoria have greater access to more diverse employment opportunities, and health and education services without having to travel through the city.

Suburban Rail Loop Stage One will connect our growing health, education, retail and employment centres in Melbourne’s south east, with emerging and developing precincts in Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill.

Benefits to local communities will extend beyond improvements to the rail network. Precincts around the new stations will become even greater places for people to live, work, study and shop. The community and stakeholders can play a key role in shaping these areas as great places for current and future generations.

Suburban Rail Loop will be a catalyst for change. We want to hear what’s important to you, what you value and what possibilities you’d like explored for the future of your neighbourhood. You can provide your feedback by visiting our Engage Vic page.

Work is continuing on planning and development

In accordance with the health and safety guidelines of Victoria’s Chief Medical Officer, ground investigations are being undertaken with strict protocols in place and we are making it easy via online channels for people to learn more about the project and to have their say. From home, we want to hear your feedback on what Suburban Rail Loop could mean for enhancing your local neighbourhood and creating new job, recreational, retail and housing possibilities.

What you've told us

Over the last 12 months we have heard from thousands of people about their early thoughts on Suburban Rail Loop and how they would like to be engaged as the project develops.

• Almost 70% strongly agree that Suburban Rail Loop will benefit the Victorian community.
• More than two thirds believe it will help create jobs and opportunities to enhance neighbourhoods.
• People strongly agree it will give all Victorians better access to jobs, education and medical care in Melbourne’s suburbs.

What are people most interested in?

• 81.4% Route and station locations.
  People would most like to know where the stations will be and would like to see detailed maps.
• 71.2% Project timelines and construction dates.
  People would like to know how long the project will take to complete, the timelines for each stage and how future stages are prioritised.
• 55% Development around stations.
  People were keen to learn how Suburban Rail Loop will integrate with existing roads and public transport, walking and cycling tracks. They were also interested in how new developments could be designed to complement the established heritage and character of the local areas.

What do people consider beneficial?

• More convenient way to get around Melbourne – 85%
• Better transport connections – 82%
• Relieve congestion on roads – 74%
• Improved connectivity to jobs, education and services – 73%

4300 people have responded since June 2019

• Glen Waverley 6.5%
• Cheltenham 4.5%
• Box Hill 2.9%
• Largest age group 18-34 year olds 39.6%.
• Nearly 75% of people are regular public transport users with 38% using it daily.

We want to hear from you

Suburban Rail Loop will bring precincts around the new train stations to life, triggering investment, enhancing their amenity and increasing their connectivity to the rest of Melbourne. This provides a valuable opportunity to work with the community to plan the services, amenity and infrastructure these areas need in the future.

The community and stakeholders will play a key role in shaping this transformational project for current and future generations. We are committed to consulting widely with the community, ensuring Victorians are informed of project updates and get a chance to have their say. Due to COVID-19, engagement in the short to medium term will be focused on digital and online forums. We are currently seeking your views on your local area and invite you to participate and provide feedback by visiting our Engage Vic page.

The best way to keep up to date with what’s happening, and opportunities to be involved, is to sign up for updates.

Have your say

Tell us what’s important to you, what you value in your neighbourhood, and what you would like to see happen.

Progress to date

Technical, planning and design work, along with community and stakeholder engagement, has been continuing.
Geotechnical investigations started in mid-2019 and soon we will have drilled to a total depth of over 4,000m across over 100 borehole locations between Cheltenham and Box Hill.

Our geotechnical investigations provide important information about ground conditions beneath southeast Melbourne to help us carefully plan how tunnels and stations for Suburban Rail Loop will be built.

A series of other investigations are also underway including inspections, surveys, monitoring and environmental studies. This information, along with other inputs from community and stakeholder engagement will help shape the detailed design of Suburban Rail Loop.

We will notify nearby local residents and businesses in advance of any works that are planned for their area and work to keep disruption to a minimum.

The health and safety of our workers and the community is our key priority as we continue to deliver Suburban Rail Loop, as is supporting physical distancing measures in line with current health advice.

We have strict protocols in place to protect the safety of our construction workforce, including enhanced industrial cleaning arrangements, provision of personal protective equipment and measures to reduce staff contact.

For more information about coronavirus (COVID-19), please visit Coronavirus Victoria.

Precinct Reference Groups

Suburban Rail Loop Authority will be establishing Precinct Reference Groups (PRGs) in local areas along the Suburban Rail Loop Stage One corridor. The PRGs will be a key avenue for community involvement during the planning and delivery of Suburban Rail Loop. The PRGs will assist us by establishing an effective forum for consultation and information sharing and providing an important local perspective on the project. Each PRG will include two community representatives and these positions will be filled by an Expression of Interest process. Further details will be released soon. If you are interested in receiving further information about the PRGs you should register for project updates.