Image from the SRLA submission to the EES IAC hearing.

The SRL Authority is proposing to close Coleman Parade west of Kingsway for approximately 80m. They say this is needed to allow passengers to walk between two stations.

SRLA submitted that little if any weight should be given to Monash Council's vision for a ring road requiring grade separation of the existing rail line whether this be on the basis of the 2014 Glen Waverley Activity Centre structure plan or having regard to Council's aspirations over several years.

Department of Transport (DoT) has also made it clear that it has no plan to provide grade separation at this location.

Future planning for Kingsway is for streetscape improvements and increased footpath trading.

Planning for Kingsway is underway for enhanced sustainable transport with reduced vehicle traffic and increased pedestrianisation.

• Survey investigation works have commenced and are due for completion by end of June 2022.
• Work on the preliminary concept designs is in progress. This stage includes a review of the functional performance of the concept designs such as safety, accessibility, amenity, drainage and maintenance considerations.
• The survey and functional performance assessment will be used to inform the preliminary concept designs in preparation to engage with traders and the community on the Kingsway Revitalisation plans (anticipated to take place in 2022/23).

Preliminary concept plans currently do not include dedicated bike lanes along Kingsway. It is envisaged that dedicated bike lanes are provided along the ring road, and that bikes share the road space along Kingsway (which would become a traffic calmed, slow speed environment).

Council recommends:

• Enhanced below ground interchange for public transport users between railway stations
• Extend Myrtle St across the metro rail line to connect with O'Sullivan Rd to create a ring road
• At minimum it is vital to keep Coleman Parade open until Myrtle Street can be extended

Council recommends that the SRL project makes provision for a continuation of a ring road to link the north and south components of the activity centre.

The Glen Waverley Activity Centre Structure Plan provides for a second railway crossing to facilitate the flow of traffic away from the core retail and entertainment areas. The SRL project presents a planning challenge for the GWAC with no provision for the release of land for the activity centre ring road which is required to redirect traffic to the perimeter of the centre with associated parking and to deliver a safe, walkable and cycle friendly centre.

The closure of Coleman Parade will lead to significantly increased traffic on Kingsway - including buses and trucks – as all traffic using Coleman Parade will be diverted to Kingsway’s busiest section between Bogong Avenue and Coleman Parade.

This is a real threat to the future of Kingsway and Glen Waverley. Kingsway is already congested with local traffic accessing parking and shops.

If all traffic using Coleman Parade to get to and from Blackburn Road is to be diverted through the entire length of Kingsway, this will radically change how the road and the shopping strip functions in the future.

Council has been planning a major upgrade to Kingsway to widen pavements, remove the kerbside parking and calm the traffic on it by give much greater priority to pedestrians. However, that vision will be impossible to deliver under the SRL Authority’s plans. These issues could easily be overcome by an extension of Myrtle Street across the existing rail line to Railway Parade North to create a ring road around the activity centre. This ring road has been earmarked by Council since the 1960s and was a key part of the Glen Waverley Structure Plan which was adopted in 2014. However, the SRL Authority are not interested in even looking at this – they say it is outside of their scope and not their problem.