MEDIA ALERT
Victoria’s southeastern corridor is a rapidly growing supercity and arguably one of the most important economic corridors in Australia, however:
- Traffic congestion is getting worse
- East-west bus connections are getting slower
- The first stage of the Suburban Rail Loop won’t be completed until 2032 at the earliest
- Rowville is still waiting for a long-promised mass public transport option
The proposal shows that trackless trams connecting Caulfield to Rowville can be delivered at a cost of approximately $1.4 billion, and be operational by 2025. The cost of a comparable light rail solution - $2.9 billion and an additional two years to complete. TRT website has more info.
Together, the SRL and TRT answer the unmet need for public transport along the Caulfield-Rowville corridor, which community groups have been calling on for decades.
The proposal highlights planning challenges in Melbourne’s south-east that could be addressed using TRT:
- The proposal shows a range of strategic challenges are preventing Plan Melbourne goals from being realised - without intervention, the daily cost of travel congestion is projected to rise from $172,000 per day in 2016 to $311,000 per day by 2031.
- Victoria's largest hub for employment and innovation in Victoria, the Monash National Employment and Innovation Cluster (NEIC) is the only NEIC for which public transport access is forecast to decrease - by 2036, just 11.5% of the labour market will have public transport access to the NEIC and the Clayton industrial and employment zone - a 16% decrease on current levels.
- The Monash NEIC supports approximately 75,000 jobs and contributes $9.4 billion to the Victorian economy each year.
TRT proposed as a cost-effective solution:
Thirteen new stations are proposed, including at Carnegie, Oakleigh, Mount Waverley, Clayton, Mulgrave, and Wheelers Hill, as well as at Chadstone and Monash University.
- Economic value: It is estimated the project will create $5.7 billion in economic value through supporting the further development of activity centres along the route.
- Jobs: By connecting major economic hubs, TRT will drive transformational growth in Melbourne’s south-east. By 2040, TRT and associated development on the route is expected to create an additional 33,700 jobs in the south-east.
- Workforce mobility: TRT will provide a new commuting option for the 12,900 workers in the Holmesglen-Chadstone precinct, and provide a new connection to the Monash Technology Precinct which supports 95,000 jobs.
- Ease traffic congestion: taking around 600,000 car trips off the roads every day.
- TRT vehicles could move up to 1,800 passengers per hour in each direction.
Available for interview:
Professor Doron Ben-Meir
Deputy Vice Chancellor Enterprise and Engagement, Monash University
-ENDS-
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Monash University
T: +61 408 508 454 E: Courtney.Karayannis@monash.edu
T: +61 3 9903 4840 E: media@monash.edu
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