One of Melbourne's Public Transport Black Holes Might Be Getting a Tram Line

Venturing through Melbourne's southeastern suburbs can be a testing experience — especially if you need to pass through the public transport black hole between the Glen Waverley and Pakenham–Cranbourne lines, which has no train or tram services. But that could soon change, with the Victorian Government proposing a new tram that will run all the way from Caulfield to Rowville.

The new route would potentially reduce congestion and speed up commutes for many in the area, which is home to a bunch of destinations that really need accessible PT, like the Monash Medical Centre, Monash University's Clayton campus, the Australian Synchrotron and the future Victorian Heart Hospital. At the moment, these institutions are only accessible by bus or bus links.

The first stage of the proposed project would link Caulfield Station with Monash University via Chadstone Shopping Centre. Then the government plans to extend the route on to Rowville, running via Waverley Park.

"This is the missing transport link for the southeastern suburbs," Premier Daniel Andrews said. "It will connect some of our most important education, employment and shopping precincts and boost the local economy".

The government has committed to providing $3 million in the Victorian Budget 2018/19 for the design and planning works for the new tram line. The budget will be delivered on May 1 and, if all goes to plan, works are set to begin straight away, though there's no word yet on how much the project will cost, how many delays it will cause and when it's expected to be completed.