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Suburban Rail Loop vision emerges

A clearer picture of Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop is becoming visible as the State Government gets busy planning the first six station precincts to be built in the multi-billion-dollar project. And yes, they will be bike-friendly places.

The station precincts occupy a roughly shaped 1.6km radius around each new station which will be intensely developed for housing, work, education and retailing.

These bustling transport hubs will be crowded with people moving to and from the station and surrounding attractions.

The aim is for attractive public spaces, community services, dining and entertainment attractions. Road-based public transport will integrate with rail loop schedules and privately-owned motor traffic will be sparse.

This transformation will take decades. But it is essential, as without these dense neighbourhoods there would never be the volume of passengers needed to make the rail loop a viable project.

The most efficient method of getting customers to these precincts from the surrounding suburbs will be by bicycle, and a dense network of local routes connecting each precinct to its catchment will be required.

The Suburban Rail Loop Authority is reaching out to the community to seek input from people who live, work, study and visit in the six areas.

“We want to unlock the potential of the land around the new SRL stations to provide greater housing choices and to get people living closer to where they work, closer to schools and universities and health care, and closer to shops and other places they want to be”, the SRLA says.

“Our goal is to achieve a shared vision for each of the six SRL East Precincts at Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill.

“We want to protect and enhance what people love about their neighbourhoods while making sure each precinct is ready to support a more connected future.”

There is an SLR Precincts discussion paper, downloadable from the engagement website, which goes into more detail about each precinct.

There are surveys and events where people can contribute.

The consultation lasts until 24 October, with a report due early in 2024.

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