Southbank to gain from Metro Rail

The recently released Metro Rail business case reveals that Southbank will benefit from employment growth, increased tourism and more balanced tram connections as a result of the new Domain Station.

The business case, which was released by the State Government on February 23, stated that the Domain station would support “existing business, tourism and cultural uses and provide significant relief to tram routes and other traffic”.

The report states that the station, which will be located adjacent to the Domain tram interchange at the top of Albert Rd, South Melbourne, will generate a range of “productivity, liveability and customer experience benefits” to the area.

In what is perhaps the most key benefit to Southbank, the report presents the case that an added transport link alongside the tram interchange would relieve congestion on the St Kilda Rd and Swanston St corridor.

More than 500 daily services will be diverted away from Swanston St and redistributed in Elizabeth St, Spencer St and Harbour Esplanade (in Docklands).

The business case predicts that without a station at Domain up to 10,000 extra tram commuters would congest the St Kilda Rd corridor during AM peak times by 2031.

It also projects that by the same year, 40,000 people will use the station making it as busy as Flagstaff station is today.

Given these projections, the report states that a reconfigured tram network would be required to divert selected St Kilda Rd tram services to Park St, Kings Way/William St and Clarendon/Spencer St.

It’s recommended that ultimately, additional services running through the precinct would be required to facilitate an increase in the number of passengers accessing local employment and education destinations.

It’s also argued that the expansion of the CBD to include new precincts such as Southbank and Docklands would facilitate employment growth.

It states that the station would provide access to 33,000 jobs and 17,000 residents living within 800 metres.

“In turn the community will also benefit by having access to better quality and higher skilled employment,” the business case says.

“Employment growth has been facilitated by targeted, planned expansions of the CBD and through business redevelopments included in urban renewal projects, such as the expanding CBD to include new precincts such as Southbank and Docklands.”

According to the business case, an alternative location for the station was considered at Kings Way, however it’s understood that the Domain site would be $1.4 billion cheaper.

In announcing the release of the business case, the Premier, Daniel Andrews, said the project would: “Protect our place as one of the great cities of the world.”

He said the project would deliver back $1.10 for every dollar invested.

Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said train trips within Melbourne were expected to double in the next 15 years.

“Melbourne Metro is desperately needed – without it, our transport system, our city and our state will grind to a halt.”

The business case predicts that an extra 28,000 jobs will be located within the CBD as a result of the $10.9 billion project.