Analysis: The Melbourne Metro Transport Plan

The government has finally realeased details of the Melbourne metro plan, analysis as follows:

An interchange or provision for an interchange should be provided at Lloyd street for connection with the Upfield and Cragieburn lines. This is currently not included in the plan.

The Arden metro should be located adjacent to Abbotsford st and Queensberry st to provide connections with the 57 West Maribynong tram. The Arden metro will likely see high rises spring up in North Melbourne. The government and local councils should work in concert to protect Errol St and heritage buildings in the area.

Consideration should be given to a new tram line servicing Docklands via the Arden metro to fully activate the North Melbourne Area. Connections to multiple tram line is essential to create a "CBD" type concentration.

The placement of the Parkville metro is excellent. It services the hospitals, university and research hubs in the area. Further it has excellent connections to tram lines down Flemington rd and Royal parade.

Consideration should be given to the effects of tram patronage once the Parkville metro opens. Should trams continue to terminate at the university or should a new terminus, perhaps at Docklands be used? It should be noted that this plan doesn't solve or address the Docklands blackspot.

I believe the location of the North and South CBD metros are appropriate and pragmatic. They take into account trains that travel through the loop and those that run direct to Flinders st. There will be those that a dissapointed that the new metro doesn't tread new ground. Perhaps with a stop that is not already well serviced, say Lygon St, though it's understandable that costs are kept manageable.

Lastly, I agree with the reasoning in the placement of the Domain metro. It will act to reduce peak loads on trams down St Kilda rd which should be commended.

Doncaster to Rowville North South Subway line

Melbourne should move away from the old radial line into the city model of the past. The Doncaster to city, Rowville to city plan will only serve minor sections of the community, and hence will always find it hard to gain political support. What's needed is a plan that will connect Doncaster, Rowville and other public transport blackspots to existing radial lines, and one that also seeks to decentralize the focus away from the Melbourne CBD into transport hubs in the east and south east. The north-south subway line is plan much larger in scope that seeks to serve communities from the north of Melbourne through to the southeast.

The proposed route, to be determined in consulation with the community, will use the new growth housing developments in Melbourne's north as commuter employee "sinks" to be distributed via the eastern and south eastern suburbs to employment hubs in the South east fringe where there is an abundance factory jobs, distribution centres and hopefully new centres of excellence following construction of this subway.

The route is ambitious in scope in that it seeks to fill crucial public transport blackspots. It will seek to meet latent demand from the Doncaster, Rowvile, Waverley Park regions, to areas where there are an under supply of public transport options such as Chadstone Shopping centre, Knox City Shopping Centre and Monash University Clayton campus. The route shall also accomodate where possible areas which have a public interest, such as hospitals and schools.

Further where the route crosses existing radial lines from the city to the suburbs, for instance the belgrave/lilydale line, commuter transfer hubs shall be developed. This will allow commuters travelling from the east to the south east to bypass Richmond station, vastly reducing travel times and making public transport a more viable option. The north south subway line will be a major distribution backbone linking the major radial lines in the east and south east.

Given the established nature of the eastern and south eastern suburbs, the lack of reserved public transport corridors and the general "not in my backyard" attitude of Melburnians, it is proposed a majority of the North South line be constructed underground in a subway. As the line will be self contained, the track and rolling stock can be built based on the latest technologies, ensuring reliability, safety and cost effective construction/tendering.

The costs will no doubt be signficant, but this is plan that provides the infrastructure for Melbourne to continue grow. It's a plan that helps better distribute jobs. It's plan that will better connect Melbourne and maintain our leading position at the forefront of livability. I commend you to support it.