Trams for the East

In the coming State Election, the Liberal Party actually have a policy around looking at the possibility of maybe commissioning a study into the extension of tramlines into Knox.

Spoiler Alert: they won't build them.

But while we're looking at things that won't be built, why not go further and look at some tram lines that might actually help make Knox the hub of the east that it could be?

And since the Federal Government, belatedly, appears to be favouring rail-type infrastructure over roads (cutting many road projects in Knox itself), maybe it is now time for someone to raise the possibility of less car-focused outer suburbs. That is, outer suburbs where it is possible to get around without the use of a car, meaning building high and medium capacity public transport within easy walking distance of as many people as possible.

This is simply building on my thoughts about the potential of the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) that I wrote about earlier this year. But now, with a new federal government, and in that period just before a state election, maybe it's worth just raising the possibility of some more radical routes.

I fully expect that none of these routes will be built in the next ten years; and most won't ever be considered.

The Knox City Redevelopment and its potential

Knox City Shopping Centre is currently in the process of being rebuilt. The aim seems to be to make it more than a shopping centre; it wants to be a community hub. Likewise, the redevelopment of Lewis Park next door and the new housing developments on the old CSIRO site seem to be aimed at increasing the density of the areas around Wantirna South.

Again, as I wrote earlier this year, the potential for Knox to become a mini-CBD needs to be central to the planning ideas of the Outer East. And if it is to fulfill role, trams must serve as much of Knox as possible.

The redevelopment of Knox City should act as the catalyst for the re-invigoration of the entire City of Knox.

Route 1: Extending Route 75

Route 75(a): Green, and 75(b): Purple

The Liberal Party policy is to look at extensions to Upper Ferntree Gully via Knox City (something that I advocated for earlier this year), as well as an extension to Bayswater via Knox Private Hospital. We can call the first route 75(a). But it's the second route that I want to focus on, call it 75(b).

If we want trams to Knox Private, it would be much better to extend the route down Boronia Rd to Boronia instead of Bayswater.

Boronia has been designated as a major activity centre of Knox, and as such should have a number of connections to other locations. A tram down Boronia Rd would allow for greater development along that corridor and contribute to the development of Boronia itself.

Boronia has already been mentioned in the Election Campaign (for the first time in too many election cycles) so why not go further and do something radical? Deliver trams to Boronia and allow more people to live there with easy transport options to both the city and other areas of the East.

Route 2: Croydon to Knox City via Bayswater

Croydon to Knox City: Blue

The change in route from Vermont Sth to Boronia instead of Bayswater would leave Bayswater itself without trams. This can be rectified with a new north south line, which would also increase connectivity between the Lilydale and Belgrave lines; something that is almost entirely lacking right now.

The Croydon level crossing removal will require the rebuilding of Croydon station itself, and this will transform Croydon. Why not use this opportunity to deliver trams to this suburb as well?

While the northern section of Scoresby Rd is sparsely populated, and the road itself is hilly and thin, it is the most direct route between the two suburbs. An alternative route, along Dorset Rd and either Canterbury Rd or Mountain Hwy might be worth consideration too.

On the other hand, Stud Rd is the perfect tram route. It is straight, not overly hilly and has the potential for much higher density housing than it currently has. It would also connect with the Route 75(b) extension to Boronia, providing access to Knox Private hospital.

Route 3: Glen Waverley to Knox city via the State Basketball Centre

Glen Waverley to Knox City: Black, with the location of the State Basketball Centre shown

The State Government has declared the State Basketball Centre in Wantirna South to be the home of basketball in Victoria. It is, however, currently unserved by reliable public transport. And considering High Street Road blocks up when the nearby church has a service, a medium capacity public transport option is essential to this area.

Glen Waverley is going to be a hub on the SRL, with connections from it to the North, South and West, so it only makes sense to provide railed transport to the East as well. In my earlier writing I suggested extending Route 6 from Glen Iris to Glen Waverley, and while this would be ideal, it is the link between Knox and Glen Waverley that is most essential.

Not only would this route provide access to the Centre from areas connected to Glen Waverley, it would also provide access from the Dandenong Ranges via the two extensions of Route 75. With the Boronia Basketball Stadium soon to be demolished, it is vital that the hills are provided with access to Wantirna, and not only by car.

Route 4: Knox City to Rowville and Dandenong via Stud Rd

Dandenong to Knox City Light Rail: Yellow

In my previous piece, I offered this route as a possibility, now I say it is of vital importance.

This is the big route, and instead of being a traditional Melbourne Tram Route, it should be seen more as light rail, akin to the Port Melbourne or St Kilda light rail lines. And like the 109 from Box Hill to Port Melbourne, it could run as a combination of both. As a 'normal' line from Croydon to Knox, and then as light rail to Dandenong.

Even when the SRL is built, there will be a lack of medium capacity North-South transport options in the outer east. Light Rail, with a limited number of larger stops, making it a faster experience is the answer. Earlier I wrote about the possibility of Dandenong becoming a second Melbourne CBD. A light rail network connecting Dandenong to some other satellite suburbs, like Knox, would see this come to fruition.

Heavy Rail will never be considered for any of these connections; light rail is the future of the outer east and south east.

Some Conclusions

These lines will probably never be built. But they, in combination with projects like the SRL, could transform this car-centric city into something else; a public transport haven.

The age of the car is coming to an end; even with innovations such as hydrogen and other electric cars, the space they take up will soon be unsustainable. In the inner city it is already possible to live a fulfilling life without owning a car. This luxury should be extended to the outer suburbs.

Unless something radical changes in the outlook of both Federal and State authorities, none of these routes will even be looked at. But it's still worth raising if we want the outer reaches of this city to remain livable in the coming decades.