Key facts
- Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has committed to proceeding with the first stage of the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL East).
- The project's total cost is expected to be reduced by approximately 6%, from a maximum of $34.5bn to about $32.3bn.
- Changes include scrapping underground station interchanges, a second station entrance, complex pedestrian bridges, and a multilevel car park.
- An independent technical review will be conducted to identify further cost savings.
- The Suburban Rail Loop Authority will be integrated into the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority.
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has announced a commitment to proceed with the first stage of the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL East), a 26km tunnel project between Cheltenham and Box Hill. This decision marks an about-face from earlier suggestions that other projects might take precedence. Carroll stated that the changes would reduce the total cost of SRL East by approximately 6%, from a maximum of $34.5 billion to about $32.3 billion.
The cost reductions will be achieved through scope changes, including the scrapping of underground station interchanges at Box Hill and Glen Waverley, a second station entrance at Clayton, complex pedestrian bridges, and a multilevel car park at Glen Waverley. An independent technical review will also be commissioned to identify an additional $1 billion in savings. While no further contracts will be awarded until this review is complete, all current works, including upcoming tunnelling between Burwood and Glen Waverley, will continue.
In addition to the project modifications, the Suburban Rail Loop Authority will be integrated into the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority. Carroll emphasized that these measures demonstrate respect for taxpayer money, asserting that the SRL will be built on time and under budget. He also indicated that the SRL Community Projects Fund would conclude after its current round, and some future precinct works around new stations would be scaled back.
Carroll's stance contrasts with his predecessors, Jacinta Allan and Daniel Andrews, who strongly advocated for the project. While Carroll initially did not rule out redirecting funds, he recently suggested that other infrastructure needs, such as the Airport Rail link and Melton electrification, were more urgent. The state opposition leader, Jess Wilson, has stated her intention to pause and review the project if elected in November.