Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East will make getting around the heart of Box Hill easier, with pedestrian plazas around the new station, traffic-free connections to public transport and shops, and a new linear park.
Designs released for the SRL East Environment Effects Statement (EES) – now on public display – show the first concept images for the new SRL station at Box Hill – with an architecturally designed entrance opening up to inviting open space, with hospitality and retail close by.
With increased connectivity, Box Hill will become one of the busiest stations in Melbourne, with 15,000 people using the underground SRL East station every day – making the most of direct connections to retail, education and health services.
The new station will open to Main and Market streets to the south and Whitehorse Road to the north, with a pedestrian promenade linking SRL and Whitehorse Road to Box Hill Gardens.
Changing to the Belgrave/Lilydale Lines will be quick and easy, while a new two-track tram terminus will make catching the 109 more reliable. Those arriving by bike will have access to 500 bike parking spaces most of them undercover.
SRL East between Box Hill and Cheltenham will slash travel times and deliver huge benefits when it opens in 2035. A trip between Box Hill and Cheltenham will take just 22 minutes, with locals saving an average of 40 minutes on a one-way public transport journey between SRL East stations.
Whitehorse Road will be realigned during delivery of the project – the south side between Nelson Road and Linsley Street will become a linear park, creating more public space and new pedestrian and bike paths – as well as safe, traffic-free access between the SRL station and nearby public transport.
SRL will create more jobs closer to home – employment in the broader Box Hill precinct is expected to double to 48,500 jobs by 2056 with SRL East and SRL North delivered.
Construction on SRL East will start in 2022, creating up to 8000 jobs.
You can make a formal submission to the EES until Thursday 16 December.