Renewing Southern Cross Station - Part 1

Jacinta Allen is a Premier desperately in need of a defining project. Dan Andrews has the level crossing removal, one of the biggest urban renewal schemes in Australia's history. So what can Allen have? Money is very much tighter now, so it can't be extravagant, and it needs to happen (or at least start) relatively quickly.

It also needs to be a project that shows both continuity with the Andrews regime but shows the state heading in a new direction.

There is a perfect project available. A redevelopment of Southern Cross Station; a redevelopment that makes it, truly, the gateway to Victoria.

It wouldn't be an over the top project, just something that fixes a few of the issues of the station since it was rebuilt 20+ years ago.

Why?

Why does Southern Cross, above all other stations in the network, need a redevelopment? Quite simply, it is the most important Station in the network - more important than even Flinders St. It is the entrance to the city of every regional and interstate line, and in a perfect world would be the entrance to the city from the airport as well (or even airports if Avalon finally fulfills its potential). 

But right now, it is not fit for purpose. It is dark and windy and feels cold even on hot days. The connection between platforms is horrible, requiring a walk that is far too long to be acceptable (especially between the country and suburban platforms). There are few, good, seating areas and nowhere to comfortably wait for those regional and interstate services. Bizarrely though, it still feels cramped, and people are shuffled through areas that seem unable to handle the passenger numbers.

And now it’s been revealed that the air quality within the station is well below acceptable standards. The need for redevelopment grows ever greater.

All these issues can be fixed, without much effort, and mostly without much cost. Doing so will increase the usability and the aesthetics of the station - which are both important to attracting passengers to the railway network, which in turn makes the system even more viable.

So here are 10 simple ways to improve Southern Cross to the standards of a minor European terminus. This post will include the first 5, with a follow up to come soon.

1. Build mezzanine above Country Platforms, Especially 5 & 6

When the Original Plans for Southern Cross were approved, they included a walkway from the Bourke St Bridge to the raised area outside Woolworths, meaning that pedestrians didn’t have to walk down and then back up to reach that area.

At the very least, that walkway should be built, but it should also be expanded to be a full mezzanine, with access to all suburban platforms. This would make it easier for suburban passengers to interchange to the country platforms. If required, this could be a paid ticket only area.

In a perfect world this mezzanine would include shops, seating and facilities, but that kind of renovation is probably only possible in a dreamers world. It would truly revolutionise

the station, and make the best use of the available space above the platforms.

2. Integrate Bourke Street bridge with rest of the station

As it currently stands, the Bourke St Bridge sits awkwardly separate from the station; it should be a part of it. This can be done in three simple ways. First, extend the roof, or a form of roof, over the bridge. Second, get rid of the weird barriers on the northern side of the bridge. They not only stop views over the railyards, but cannot be leant against. It’s a popular spot for waiting for friends, why not make it actually fit for purpose? Thirdly, provide seating and alcoves. Even if this requires the pop up shops to move from the southern to northern side of the bridge, it will be a sign that the bridge is a part of the whole precinct. Finally, provide escalators on the northern side of the bridge to the platforms, which will once again emphasize that the bridge is a part of the station.

The integration of this bridge was also something that was envisioned in the original plans for the station. It was a good idea then and remains one now.

If the mezzanine/walkway is built from the bridge to the southern end of the station, even better. 

3. Push "validated ticket area" back towards country platforms

Currently, at the Southern end of the station, the validated ticket area for the country platforms takes up far too much room of the concourse. If the area was pushed back towards the platforms it would free up a lot of space for the movement of people, another waiting area or other small shops. If crowding on the platform is perceived to be a problem, the other exits provided by the new mezzanine should sort some of it out.

Getting rid of the gates themselves, and replacing them with simple touch-on points would also decrease the crowd crush. Tickets are checked on the train anyway, so the gates are unnecessary. 

4. Open up Platforms 1 & 2 for public access

In the same vein of opening up more space, there is no reason why Platform 2 needs to be cordoned off. In train stations all around the world, all platforms are public access. Even at Central Station in Sydney, Platforms 1, 2 and 3 are all open to the public. 

This once again addresses the problem of the station feeling cramped; if there are more places for people to go, then more people can fit into the station. 

Platforms 1 and 2 are where Interstate trains depart from, so it's more likely that some family members or friends would want to help passengers get on those trains, rather than other services from the station

5. Integrate bus interchange with the rest of the station (eg access from Platform 2)

There is currently one entrance to the bus terminal at Southern Cross, and it’s seemingly hidden. It would be very easy to provide more access to this facility. Firstly, direct access from Spencer Street is possible with just a couple of walkways. Secondly, once public access to Platform 2 is granted, other entrances to the bus interchange from here can be opened. This bus terminal is one of the most important parts of the station, but it currently has an aura of unpleasantness about it, as if it’s an embarrassing afterthought. Making the entrances more obvious and numerous, and making the interchange itself lighter and less concrete would once again improve the functionality of the station and therefore increase its usability. 

And since it’s now been revealed that the air within the bus interchange is some of the worst in Melbourne, and is well beyond healthy limits, the need to overhaul the area has quickly become desperate. The extra entrances will enable greater airflow through it, but of course more exhaust fans and a lesser reliance on diesel buses are also desperately needed. Adding in more plants and the lighting necessary for them to grow would also improve the situation.