Growing OUTER MELBOURNE Pains > RACV s blueprint for road and public transport projects needed in outer Melbourne
RACV S BLUEPRINT FOR ROAD AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT PROJECTS NEEDED IN OUTER MELBOURNE G R O W I N G P A I N S Growing pains A great place to live For Melbourne to be a world-class connected city, our transport networks must reach well beyond its centre. RACV recognises how important our outer suburbs are to the overall health and vitality of our city, but is concerned by the following facts: Melbourne s outer suburbs are a great place to live. The extra space, proximity to nature and affordable land make the outer fringe an attractive place for Melburnians to buy their first home, settle or retire. But none of the financial and lifestyle benefits of living in the outer suburbs can be realised if daily commutes are exhausting and even local travel is a struggle. Victoria s population is forecast to increase from just over 6 million to approximately 10 million by 2050. Most will settle in Greater Melbourne, many in outer suburbs. By 2031, our population in the outer suburbs will have overtaken the total population of Melbourne s inner and middle suburbs. It is estimated that by 2050, Melbourne s transport networks will need to cope with 23 million trips per day, nearly double the current figure of 12.5 million. To help cope with this population growth and set up outer Melbourne for success, RACV has developed its Growing Pains plan for 2018. RACV wants outer communities to enjoy a wide range of transport options that are seamlessly linked, safe, convenient, efficient and affordable. To achieve these goals, RACV calls for urgent upgrades to ageing and stressed transport networks in our more mature outer suburbs in the north, east and south, plus the timely provision of transport infrastructure in our ever-expanding growth corridors, including some of our newest in the south-east, north and west.
* Forecast % change in population 2011-2021, Source: Victoria in Future 2016. Population growth Hume 2.8% Whittlesea 4.1% Nillumbik 0.2% Melton 4.3% Wyndham 4.8% 16 12 2 8 5 6 7 17 1 3 15 4 9 13 Manningham 1.0% Maroondah 1.1% 14 10 11 Frankston 0.9% Knox 0.6% Greater Dandenong 1.8% Casey 2.9% Yarra Ranges 0.5% Cardinia 4.5% Middle and inner 1. Melbourne 2. Maribyrnong 3. Yarra 4. Stonnington 5. Port Phillip 6. Moreland 7. Darebin 8. Moonee Valley 9. Glen Eira 10. Monash 11. Whitehorse 12. Hobsons Bay 13. Boroondara 14. Kingston 15. Bayside 16. Brimbank 17. Banyule Mornington Peninsula 1.0% Persons (Millions) Population Growth across greater Melbourne 3.0 2.8 2.6 2.4 2.2 2.0 2011 2021 2031 Outer Melbourne Middle and Inner Melbourne A growing problem For 10 years Victoria s population growth has been the strongest of any Australian state or territory. Victoria s population will continue to grow and is forecast to increase from just over 6 million to approximately 10 million by 2050. Despite strong projected growth in Victoria s regional areas, the vast majority will settle in Greater Melbourne, which continues to face the challenge of housing our growing population. While new housing will be created through higher densities and urban renewal in the central city and established inner and middle suburbs across Melbourne, much of our new population is moving to its outer suburbs. By 2031, our population in the outer suburbs (which are the subject of this report) will have overtaken the total population of Melbourne s inner and middle suburbs. Source: via Victoria in Future 2016
RACV S BLUEPRINT FOR ROAD AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT PROJECTS NEEDED IN OUTER MELBOURNE GROWING PAINS Expansion into the outer areas is not new for Melbourne. Land is cheaper on the fringe and many residents value space over proximity to the city. The State Government s Plan Melbourne notes that Melbourne s greenfield lots are the second-cheapest among Australia s capital cities. Melbourne s outer south-east has long been a corridor of major growth. By 2031 it is expected that Casey will have established itself as our most populous region with well over 400,000 residents, as many as Canberra. And after many years of steady growth in the south-east, growth is apace in Melbourne s west and north. Data compiled by the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that population growth in the south-east is being matched in our northern and western districts. Tarneit in the outer west had the largest population growth of any suburb in Australia over the past 10 years to 2016 and Doreen and Truganina ranked second and third for fastest-growing suburbs. Not only is the direction of growth expanding across outer Melbourne, so too is its intensity. Plan Melbourne notes that in recent years, average residential densities have increased from 15 to around 18 dwellings per hectare. Medium and high-density housing is now a standard component of new subdivisions so that the average population density of suburbs such as Plumpton in the west will be the same, or higher, than some of Melbourne s established inner suburbs. As growth continues, so does pressure on our transport system. It is estimated that by 2050, Melbourne s transport networks will need to cope with 23 million trips per day, nearly double the current figure of 12.5 million. With close to half of Melbourne s new housing and much of the city s future supply of industrial land planned for our growth areas, the outer suburbs will shoulder a high proportion of the escalating transport load. It is vital that Melbourne s growth areas are set up for success. Our governments must ensure that the right infrastructure is in place to accommodate this unprecedented and continuing growth in population and travel demand. Outer-suburban pain In the outer suburbs, transport networks have fallen behind and are not meeting the demands of our population. Inadequate public transport, gaps in the road network and congestion are creating barriers to mobility, including access to critical services, education and employment opportunities. In our outer suburbs, numerous arterial roads are currently at or beyond capacity, creating significant issues of congestion, delay and safety. In our more established outer suburbs, roads and public transport networks are ageing, do not meet current standards of safety and no longer meet demand. Rural-style roads with gravel shoulders that previously connected sparse settlements now carry thousands of commuters a day. Many radial routes that connect the outer suburbs to middle and inner Melbourne are effectively in gridlock during morning and afternoon peak periods. In growth areas, roads that were planned as neighbourhood and inter-regional connections remain lines on a map.
In our public transport network, metropolitan railway lines play a crucial role in our daily commutes. Train travel has increased by 70 per cent in the past 10 years, and is expected to double again in the next 20 years. But the rail system is straining under prolonged growth in demand, and overcrowding is a daily issue for commuters on all lines. Railway stations that were previously the end of the line are now well short of the urban-growth boundary, leaving entire communities without efficient access to education and employment. At stations, car parking is full before 7am, forcing commuters to start their travel day earlier and earlier just to secure a place in the car park. The early provision of infrastructure plays a significant role in the long-term success of new communities. Inadequate public transport services can impede mobility and accessibility and foster dependency on cars that can be difficult to reverse, even after public transport is provided. The importance of public transport in new communities is well understood and all growth-areas are designed for buses to be within safe walking distance of peoples homes. But Research prepared by the Victorian Auditor General revealed that almost one-quarter of growth-area households are falling short of current proximity targets. Lag times between planning new suburbs and providing public transport exceeds all reasonable expectations. For example, the time taken to fund rail services to growth areas usually exceeds 30 years, more than a generation. In the growth areas and many established outer suburbs, bus services are often the only option for those who rely on public transport to get around their local area or travel further afield. But the bus system is failing to meet the needs of these communities. Service deficiencies are widespread, including inadequate network coverage, poor frequency, reliability and connectivity to other transport modes, and insufficient hours and days of operation. Outer Melbourne needs a well-funded, multi-year investment program to meet these transport challenges and ensure that residents of our outer areas are well connected to employment and their community. What RACV wants For Melbourne to be a world-class connected city, our transport networks must reach well beyond the central area. Melbourne continues to grow and the outer suburbs deserve a fast, convenient and high-quality transport system linking areas of housing and employment and also providing access to goods and services, health care, education and recreation. RACV calls on the State and Federal Governments to fund an ongoing program of outer-suburban transport projects. Our 2018 list of 142 transport infrastructure projects are listed in Table 1. These include road infrastructure projects within each of the 14 local council areas to address missing links, increase capacity and improve safety, plus railway infrastructure projects to create new lines, extend the reach and capacity of existing lines and improve access and facilities at railway stations. RACV estimates that over $13 billion dollars is required to address the backlog of projects in the shorter term. Much more will be needed to commence a range of medium to long term road and public transport projects. Our infrastructure projects are shown on our interactive map at www.racv.com.au/growingpains. RACV further calls for progressive reform in the design and supply of bus services across the outer suburbs, including measures to improve timetabling, route planning, co-ordination between modes and customer information. RACV will advocate for improved public transport services across Greater Melbourne. Look out for updates at www.racv.com.au.
Table 1: RACV Growing Pains Transport Infrastructure Projects Council Area Project Name Description Cost Cardinia Officer Railway Station Upgrade Officer Railway Station ** Cardinia Racecourse Rd Duplicate - Princes Hwy to Princes Fwy $50 million Cardinia Koo Wee Rup Rd Duplicate - Princes Fwy to Koo Wee Rup Bypass $254 million Casey Ballarto Rd Construct - Western Port Hwy to Cranbourne-Frankston Rd $22 million Casey Clyde-Five Ways Rd Duplicate - Berwick-Cranbourne Rd to South Gippsland Hwy $109 million Casey Casey Fields Blvd Construct - Lineham Dr to South Gippsland Hwy $20 million Casey Narre Warren-Cranbourne Rd / Cameron St Duplicate - Thompsons Rd to South Gippsland Hwy $57 million Casey Berwick-Cranbourne Rd Duplicate - Thompsons Rd to Cameron St (L-shape) $159 million Casey Cranbourne Railway Line Extend the metropolitan railway line into the Clyde growth area and make line capacity improvements through to Dandenong > $1 billion Casey Linsell Blvd Duplicate - Bromley Ave to Berwick-Cranbourne Rd $43 million Casey Cranbourne Bypass Construct bypass - South Gippsland Hwy to Narre Warren-Cranbourne Rd Casey Glasscocks Rd Construct and duplicate - Western Port Hwy to Berwick-Cranbourne Rd $22 million $149 million Casey Glasscocks Rd Upgrade - Frankston-Dandenong Rd to Western Port Hwy $43 million Casey Hallam Rd Duplicate - Ormond Rd to South Gippsland Hwy $17 million Casey Greaves Rd / O'Shea Rd Construct & duplicate - Narre Warren-Cranbourne Rd to Princes Fwy $98 million Casey Pound Rd Duplicate - Narre Warren-Cranbourne Rd to Hallam Rd $54 million Casey Hallam Rd Duplicate - Princes Hwy to Pound Rd $38 million Casey Hallam Station Upgrade to Premium Station ** Casey Merinda Park Station Upgrade to Premium Station ** Casey Lynbrook Station Upgrade to Premium Station ** Casey Ernst Wanke Rd Duplicate - Monash Fwy to Harkaway Rd $109 million Casey Narre Warren North Rd / Belgrave- Hallam Rd Upgrade - Ernst Wanke Rd to Heatherton Rd $38 million Casey Hallam North Rd Duplicate - Carmen Cres to Heatherton Rd including upgrading of the roundabout at Heatherton Rd $9 million Frankston Stony Point Railway Line Electrification of the metropolitan railway line to Baxter $500 $750 million Frankston Rutherford Rd / Lathams Rd Duplicate EastLink to Frankston-Dandenong Rd $87 million Frankston Hall Rd Duplicate McCormicks Rd to Western Port Hwy $50 million Frankston & Mornington Peninsula Golf Links Rd Upgrade - Frankston-Flinders Rd to Warrandyte Rd $35 million Greater Dandenong Dandenong South east-west route (indicate route shown) Create east-west road connections through Dandenong South $50 million Greater Dandenong Dandenong South Bypass Extend the Dandenong Bypass to the South Gippsland Fwy $47 million Hume Craigieburn Railway Station Upgrade station ** Hume Craigieburn Railway Line Electrification of the metropolitan rail line to Wallan > $3 billion Hume Johnstone St (Broadmeadows Rd Deviation) Duplicate Ripplebrook Dr to Mickleham Rd $22 million Hume Attwood Connector Construct east-west road link through Attwood $54 million Hume Sunbury Rd / Bulla Bypass Major route upgrade - Tullamarine Fwy to Sunbury (as part of Outer Metropolitan Ring Road) $200 million Hume Gap Rd Duplicate - Calder Fwy to Horne St $40 million Hume Riddell Rd Complete duplication McKell Ave to Elizabeth Dve $10 million Hume Sunbury Railway Station Upgrade station ** Hume Somerton Rd Duplicate Roxburgh Park Dr to Mickleham Rd $39 million
Table 1: RACV Growing Pains Transport Infrastructure Projects (continued) Council Area Project Name Description Cost Hume Mickleham Rd Duplicate Somerton Rd to Donnybrook Rd $185 million Hume Craigieburn Rd Complete duplication Mickleham Rd to Hanson Rd $50 million Hume Aitken Blvd (E14 Arterial) Construct Somerton Rd to Johnstone St $239 million Hume Upfield Railway Station Upgrade station ** Knox Wellington Rd Upgrade Napoleon Rd to Lysterfield Rd $38 million Knox Kelletts Rd Upgrade Napoleon Rd to Wellington Rd $17 million Knox Napoleon Rd Upgrade Kelletts Rd to Lysterfield Rd $25 million Knox Dorset Rd Extension Construct Burwood Hwy to Lysterfield Rd $49 million Knox Ferntree Gully Rd Upgrade Stud Rd to Burwood Hwy $44 million Knox Burwood Hwy Upgrade Scoresby Rd to Ferntree Gully Rd $20 million Knox Burwood Hwy Complete widening Mountain Hwy to Stud Rd $38 million Knox Belgrave Railway Line Duplication of the Belgrave rail line $110 million Knox Transit to Rowville Create a transit link to connect Huntingdale Station to Rowville $167 million Manningham Croydon Rd/Plymouth Rd/ Warranwood Rd/Wonga Rd/Yarra Rd Investigate local safety and capacity improvements Yarra Rd to Ringwood-Warrandyte Rd $38 million Manningham Porter St/Newmans Rd/Heidelberg- Warrandyte Rd/Yarra St/Ringwood- Warrandyte Rd Investigate local safety and capacity improvements Fitzsimons La to Tortice Dr $100 million Manningham Fitzsimons Lane Upgrade/widen Main Rd to Porter St (may require review to assess the effects of North-East Link) $100 million Manningham Springvale Rd Duplicate Mitcham Rd to Reynolds Rd $70 million Manningham Doncaster Bus Route Implement bus infrastructure improvements along Doncaster Road, including upgraded bus stations, bus lanes and signal works $1-2 million Manningham King St, Victoria St Upgrade George St to Williamsons Rd $49 million Manningham Templestowe Rd Upgrade Bridge St to Thompsons Rd $49 million Manningham Doncaster Park and Ride Increase parking capacity $5 million Manningham Doncaster Area Rapid Transit Implement a busway along Doncaster Road and the Eastern Freeway $250-$500 million Maroondah Bayswater Rd Duplicate and upgrade Canterbury Rd to Mt Dandenong Rd $71 million Maroondah Canterbury Rd Upgrade and widen to six lanes divided Dorset Rd to Liverpool Rd $39 million Maroondah Canterbury Rd Upgrade and Widen to six lanes divided Liverpool Rd to Mt Dandenong Rd $26 million Maroondah York Rd Upgrade Swansea Rd to Monbulk Rd $43 million Maroondah Dorset Rd Upgrade Hull Rd to Maroondah Hwy $22 million Maroondah Croydon Rd Upgrade Kent Ave to Maroondah Hwy $10 million Maroondah Croydon Railway Station Upgrade Croydon Railway Station ** Melton Westwood Dr / Calder Park Dr Duplicate Taylors Rd to Calder Fwy with upgraded interchange at the Calder Fwy $122 million Melton Westwood Dr Duplicate Taylors Rd to Kororoit Creek (bridge in construction) $36 million Melton Hume Dr Duplicate Gourlay Rd to Copperfield Dr $49 million Melton Melton Hwy Duplicate - Hillside to Melton $286 million Melton Western Hwy Upgrade to urban freeway standard between Christies Rd and Ferris Rd with interchanges $78 million Melton Melton Railway Line Duplication and electrification of rail line to Melton $500-$750 million Melton Toolern Railway Station Construct a railway station along the Melton Line in the developing suburb of Toolern ** Melton Rockbank Middle Rd Duplicate Clarke Rd to Caroline Springs Blvd $17 million Melton Christies Rd Complete duplication - Ballarat Rd to Palm Springs Road, including upgraded freeway off-ramp $27 million
Table 1: RACV Growing Pains Transport Infrastructure Projects (continued) Council Area Project Name Description Cost Melton Robinsons Rd / Westwood Dr Complete duplication Kororoit Creek to Boundary Rd $139 million Melton & Wyndham Palmers Rd Complete duplication and widening of this funded Outer Suburban Arterial Roads project by 2020 Boundary Rd to Dunnings Rd Mornington Peninsula Mornington Peninsula Fwy Duplicate - Jetty Rd to Boneo Rd including Jetty Rd overpass $27 million Mornington Peninsula Rye Bypass Construct to arterial road standard - Boneo Rd to Melbourne Rd $150 million Mornington Peninsula Mornington-Tyabb Rd Upgrade - Nepean Hwy to Peninsula Link $44 million Mornington Peninsula Bungower Rd Upgrade - Nepean Hwy to Peninsula Link $39 million Mornington Peninsula Coolart Rd Frankston-Flinders Rd (north) to Frankston Flinders Rd (south) $114 million Mornington Peninsula Western Port Hwy / Frankston- Flinders Rd (Watts Rd) Construct extension - Denham Rd to Graydens Rd $23 million Mornington Peninsula Western Port Hwy / Frankston- Flinders Rd (Watts Rd) Upgrade - Baxter-Tooradin Rd to Denham Rd $57 million Mornington Peninsula Western Port Hwy Upgrade intersections - North Rd to Baxter-Tooradin Rd $54 million Mornington Peninsula and Frankston Mornington Peninsula, Frankston & Casey Sages Rd / Baxter-Tooradin Rd Upgrade - Moorooduc Hwy to Western Port Hwy $35 million Baxter-Tooradin Rd Upgrade - Western Port Hwy to South Gippsland Hwy $76 million Nillumbik Hurstbridge Railway Line Duplication of tracks on the Hurstbridge railway line including inner city track upgrades $110 million Nillumbik Eltham Railway Station Improve/increase car parking ** Nillumbik Main Rd Upgrade Bridge St to Fitzsimons Ln $27 million Nillumbik Hurstbridge Railway Station Improve/increase car parking ** Nillumbik Diamond Creek Railway Station Improve/increase car parking ** Nillumbik Main Hurstbridge Rd Duplicate Elizabeth St to Phipps Cr with grade separation of railway line $109 million Nillumbik Diamond Creek Rd Upgrade Yan Yean Rd to Main St $27 million Whittlesea Gorge Rd / Kurrak Rd Upgrade Plenty Rd to Yan Yean Rd $22 million Whittlesea Findon Rd Construct and complete duplication Epping Rd to Gorge Rd $130 million Whittlesea McDonalds Rd / Memorial Ave Duplicate High St to Plenty Rd $109 million Whittlesea E6 Transport Corridor (approximate route shown) Construct high-capacity road and path links $1 billion Whittlesea Rail Line to Wollert Epping Rail extension from Lalor to Epping North and Wollert $600 million Whittlesea Childs Rd Construct Edgars Rd to High St $17 million Whittlesea Cooper St Widen to six lanes Edgars Rd to High St $22 million Whittlesea Edgars Rd Complete construction Cooper St to Rockfields St $27 million Whittlesea Plenty Rd Duplicate Riverdale Blvd to Bridge Inn Rd $33 million Whittlesea Epping Rd Duplicate Memorial Ave to Craigieburn Rd East $65 million Whittlesea Edgars Rd Complete construction Eaststone Ave to Craigieburn Rd $21 million Whittlesea Craigieburn Rd East Duplicate Hume Fwy to Epping Rd $104 million Whittlesea Donnybrook Railway Station Upgrade railway station ** Wyndham Dohertys Rd Complete duplication and widening of this funded Outer Suburban Arterial Roads project by 2020 Fitzgerald Rd to Grieve Pde Wyndham Dohertys Rd Complete widening and duplication of this funded Outer Suburban Arterial Roads project by 2020 Palmers Rd to Foundation Rd Wyndham Leakes Rd Complete duplication of this funded Outer Suburban Arterial Roads project by 2020 Derrimut Rd to Fitzgerald Rd and extend duplication through to Tarneit Rd Wyndham Derrimut Rd Complete duplication of this funded Outer Suburban Arterial Roads project by 2020 Leakes Rd to Dohertys Rd
Table 1: RACV Growing Pains Transport Infrastructure Projects (continued) Council Area Project Name Description Cost Wyndham Derrimut Rd Complete duplication of this funded Outer Suburban Arterial Roads project by 2020 Sayers Rd to Leakes Rd $27 million Wyndham Tarneit Rd Duplicate - Sayers Rd to Leakes Rd $15 million Wyndham Sayers Rd / Old Geelong Rd Duplicate Derrimut Rd to Fitzgerald Rd $130 million Wyndham Forsyth Rd Construct Leakes Rd to Sayers Rd $26 million Wyndham Forsyth Rd Duplicate - Sayers Rd to Old Geelong Rd $26 million Wyndham Point Cook Rd Duplicate from Dunnings Rd to Princes Fwy, and provide better access to Princes Freeway Wyndham Dunnings Rd Complete duplication of this funded Outer Suburban Arterial Roads project by 2020 Point Cook Rd to Shaftsbury Blvd $21 million Wyndham Point Cook Rd Duplicate Saltwater Promenade to Dunnings Rd $42 million Wyndham Duncans Rd Interchange Upgrade the interchange to the Princes Freeway Wyndham Sneydes Rd Duplicate Princes Hwy to Hoppers Lane $22 million Wyndham Derrimut Rd Construct Princes Hwy to Sneydes Rd $11 million Wyndham Ballan Rd Duplicate Cottrell St to Manor Lakes Blvd $65 million Wyndham Bolton Rd, Heaths Rd Complete duplication and widen to four lanes - Ballan Rd to Tarneit Rd $54 million Wyndham Wyndham Vale to Werribee Railway Spur Construct a new railway line between Werribee and Wyndham Vale $500 $750 million Wyndham Black Forest Rd Railway Station Construct a railway station along the Regional Railway Line at Black Forrest Rd in Wyndham Vale Wyndham Sayers Rd Railway Station Construct a railway station along the Regional Railway Line at Sayers Rd in Tarneit Wyndham Davis Rd Railway Station Construct a railway station along the Regional Railway Line at Davis Rd in Tarneit ** ** ** Wyndham Dunnings Rd Construct - Hacketts Rd to Hoppers Ln $20 million Wyndham Old Geelong Rd Level Crossing Remove level crossing $132 million Wyndham Dunnings Rd Duplicate Boardwalk Blvd to Hacketts Rd $11 million Wyndham Bolton Rd, Heaths Rd Complete duplication and widen to four lanes - Ballan Rd to Tarneit Rd Wyndham Forsyth Rd Complete duplication of this funded Outer Suburban Arterial Roads project by 2020 Old Geelong Rd to Boardwalk Blvd $54 million Wyndham, Melton, Hume and Whittlesea Outer Metropolitan Ring Road (approximate route shown) Commence planning for a transport corridor incorporating road and rail. > $10 billion Yarra Ranges Wellington Rd Upgrade Lysterfield Rd to Belgrave-Hallam Rd $71 million Yarra Ranges Upwey Railway Station Upgrade Upwey Railway Station including improved parking ** Yarra Ranges Belgrave Railway Station Upgrade Belgrave Railway Station including improved parking ** Yarra Ranges Lilydale Bypass Construct Maroondah Hwy to Anderson St $54 million Yarra Ranges Lilydale Railway Station Upgrade Lilydale Railway Station including improved parking ** Yarra Ranges Cave Hill Railway Station Planning for new railway station at Cave Hill ** Yarra Ranges Maroondah Hwy Duplicate Warburton Hwy to Melba Hwy $54 million ** New railway stations and station upgrades across Melbourne s outer areas are estimated at $250-$500 million in total. $1.8 billion funded under the Outer Suburban Arterial Road (OSAR) program.