Concept
A high-capacity automated monorail linking Ashburton, Holmesglen, Chadstone, Oakleigh and Monash University.
 A Hirachi monorail - one of several monorail train options (Original image: Japanese Wikipedia) |
This short link has big benefits for Melbourne:
- Three-carriage trains every three minutes: Later this can be expanded to up to eight carriages per train.
- Linking Three Rail Lines: The Dandenong, Glen Waverley, Alamein and Ringwood rail lines are linked by this proposal.
- Linking Chadstone to the Rail Network: An affordable way to link the largest shopping centre in the southern hemisphere into the high-capacity public transport network.
- A North-South Link: Fills a missing link across what is now the centre of population for Melbourne.
- Monash University Link: A high capacity public transport link to three existing heavy rail lines.
A monorail is the only practical and affordable way of linking these rail lines with a high-capacity transit system. Trams or extra busses will just add to the traffic congestion. A rail subway would be far more expensive. Other elevated systems could be examined but are likely to be more visually intrusive.
Melbourne's Missing Transport Link
 Chadstone link route diagram. Proposed monorail in red. The approximate centre of Greater Melbourne's population is shown in the green circle. |
Cost
Our current cost range estimate is between $500 and $600 million for 11km of dual track, stations, vehicles, maintenance facilities and all other monorail components. This estimate is to be further refined by ongoing analysis.
Resident Benefits
Home-owners near the monorail line receive the following benefits depending on their proximity to the monorail track:
- Removal of overhead power and other wires which are to be relocated underground.
- A daily payment during construction of the monorail outside their properties.
- A monthly payment for the life of the monorail system related to ticket sales for residential property within 20 meters of the track. This is anticipated to be between a few hundred and a few thousand dollars per annum depending on proximity to the track.
- A vegetated tree-way under the monorail track and extra trees along the sides of the street where possible.
- Extra public transport in their area.
Approximate Route
The approximate route of the proposed Chadstone Monorail Link is shown below. Click into the map to zoom in on particular segments.
|
View Chadstone Link Monorail in a larger map Approximate route of the Chadstone Link Monorail. |
Destinations and Connections
In about 11 kilometers this monorail services seven significant destinations:
- Ashburton: The railway station and urban village.
- Ashwood: The monorail station is over High Street Road and the Woolworths car park.
- Holmesglen: The railway station, TAFE college and retail centre.
- Waverley Road: Servicing the retail centre and linking to Waverley Road bus routes.
- Chadstone Shopping Centre: The largest shopping centre in Australia. If the proposed Highpoint-Chadstone Monorail was built this line would terminate here and the Highpoint-Chadstone Monorail would continue to Monash University and beyond.
- Oakleigh: The railway station and Oakleigh township.
- Huntingdale: The railway station and redeveloped commercial precinct.
- Monash University: The monorail would curve into the campus over the carparks.
Art rendering of monorail track suitable for Australian cities. (The original Image was for the new monorail in São Paulo, Brazil: Skyscraper City) |
Travel Times
The high-capacity monorails under consideration have a maximum operating speed of 80 km/h. Assuming 10-second dwell times* at the stations the following travel times are likely:
- Ashburton - Monash University: About 11 minutes (~11 km).
- Ashburton - Oakleigh: About 6 minutes (~6 km).
- Oakleigh - Monash University: About 5 minutes (~4.5 km).
(*Similar to dwell time for trains and flat-floor trams.)
Capacity
Monorail capacity is discussed here. This monorail link could start with two or three carriage monorail trains at the outset to achieve a carrying capacity of over 5,000 passengers per hour per direction.
Later this can be gradually expanded to eight-carriage trains. All stations should be built to accommodate eight-carriage trains which would be about 100 meters long.
Segments
Art rendering of the new Daegu Monorail, South Korea (image reversed). This could be Melbourne. (Original Image: Daegu Blog) |
This proposal can be further broken down into segments which could be build sequentially from Oakleigh in both directions.
- Ashburton - Holmesglen: 2.1 km This segment starts over the carparks next to Ashburton railway station. It immediately curves over the rail line and the trees on to High Street Road. At Warragul Road it turns left over the shops to a station partly over High Street Road and partly over the Woolworths carpark. Then it runs down the hill to Holmesglen Station. A monorail stabling and maintenance facility could be built at Ashburton here between the red tennis courts and the rail line over vacant land and the substation with the olive green roof.
- Holmesglen - Chadstone: 1.7 km From Holmesglen Station the monorail goes up the hill to a station at the Waverley Road retail centre. From there it passes high over the Monash Freeway and Scotchmans Creek before turning up Middle Road over Webster Street to the Chadstone Shopping Centre station. The Chadstone station could be next to Myers over the carpark with provision for interchange with the proposed Highpoint-Chadstone Monorail which would have a station between Myers and Dandenong Road.
- Chadstone - Oakleigh: 2 km After Chadstone station the monorail curves over the car parks keeping away from the houses until it can turn onto Dandenong Road. Here it travels high over the trees and the traffic and down Warragul Road to Oakleigh.
- Oakleigh - Monash University: 5 km Initially this segment follows Burlington Road and then the north side of the Dandenong rail easement (not Haughton Road as shown on the Google map). It passes over the Hanover Street bridge past a monorail stabling and maintenance facility to Huntingdale. As well as a linkage to Huntingdale Station provision would also be made for the redevelopment of the commercial property in this area that could incorporate the monorail and railway stations. The monorail would then proceed over the trees on the North Road median strip to the Monash University Campus. At Monash University the monorail station could be almost anywhere.
Stabling and maintenance facilities would be needed. We suggest these be located above the rail easement between Oakleigh and Huntingdale stations.
At all times the monorail guideway will be at least 4.3 meters above road surfaces. Higher clearance will be provided over the Monash Freeway to allow for over-dimension loads.
At some of the road junctions on Warragul Road a long-span would be required such as these ones used at Okinawa.
Ashburton Interchange
Here the monorail starts from a station above the carparks to the west (left) of the rail line. It curves east (right) over the trees and the railway line to High Street Road.
|
View Larger Map Click onto the picture to zoom into the carpark. Note the station and monorail yards are above the trees - tree loss should be minimal. (Can't see street view above? Click here, select Street View and look around.) |
Holmesglen Station
We envision the monorail station being built over the retail sector shown below on the east (right) side. This would require collaboration with the existing 18 land owners to consolidate these holdings (Numbers 617 to 655) into a new commercial centre, a government to acquire the land or a combination of the two.
Note that on the left (west) side of the road there is now a high-rise building which prevents the monorail station being built on that side. Walkway bridges would connect the monorail station complex to the Holmesglen TAFE and Station on the left side of Warragul Road.
|
View Larger Map Replacing these shops with the monorail station complex will be a major enhancement to this area. (Can't see street view? Click here, select Street View and look around.) |
Over Scotchmans Creek
Between the Monash Freeway and Middle Road the monorail passes over the Scotchmans Creek reserve.
|
View Larger Map The monorail guideway would be on the left over Scotchmans Creek (Can't see street view? Click here, select Street View and look around.) |
Oakleigh Interchange
Here the monorail station is over the car park bounded by Burlington Street, the rail line and the Coles supermarket. Walkways and escalators connect to the railway platforms and to the shopping complex.
|
View Larger Map Oakleigh monorail station would be above the car park with ramps connecting to the railway platforms and the shopping center. (Can't see street view? Click here, select Street View and look around.) |
Huntingdale Interchange
Here the monorail station would be adjacent to the railway station over the car park area and trees.
|
View Larger Map Street view from the North Road bridge of Huntingdale Railway Station and car park (Doesn't display in Safari). |
Saving the trees on North Road
Unlike a heavy rail extension to Monash University, the monorail passes over the trees and bike path on the median strip instead of destroying it completely.
|
View Larger Map The monorail will go above the trees and bike path on the North Road median strip. (Can't see street view? Click here, select Street View and look around.) |
Possible Extensions
- Extension from Monash Uni: This line could be extended east towards Rowville or North towards The Glen Shopping Centre.
- Extension from Ashburton to East Camberwell? If the monorail line was built to Ashburton there would be some value in replacing the rail line to Camberwell. Some parks and roads could be connected under the monorail and the level crossing on Riversdale Road could be removed. Given the rail line is quite functional and has just been upgraded this would probably not be worthwhile unless the line was going all the way to Fairfield.
- Extension to Fairfield? If the monorail line was built to East Camberwell continuing the line all the way to Fairfield and the Hurstbridge Rail Line could be considered. This line would follow the old outer-circle rail line. A monorail would be preferable to a rail line as the existing parkland would all be retained and roads would be unaffected.
- Box Hill instead of Ashburton? Instead of running to Ashburton and the Alamein Rail Line the monorail could run to Box Hill Central via Deakin University. From Box Hill Central the line could be extended north to Doncaster Shopping Town. This would create and excellent north-south link through Melbourne's growing eastern suburbs.