Melbourne Central Station redevelopment, 2003

The Swanston Street entrance has not been closed.

The pathway from the entrance to the station concourse has been altered and will run through the Melbourne Central complex.

The Swanston Street escalator entrance to Melbourne Central has been closed.

The pathway from the entrance to the station concourse has been altered and now runs through the Melbourne Central Shopping Centre complex. In 2004, the current ‘gateway’ will become a secondary entrance – only open until 7:30pm. After hours the only Swanston Street entrance will be via a new entrance further away from La Trobe Street.

Customers will face a short walk to new escalators. The distance and the time taken will be negligible – only around one minute. It will have little or no impact on perceptions of ‘ease of transferring between tram and train’

Customers face a walk half a city block long to reach the new escalators. The distance travelled from the street will approximately double and the time taken will be at least an extra minute (possibly more in peak hour unless people start using the unpopular La Trobe Street Exit). The Tram-to-Station direct access will be replaced with a Tram-to-Shopping Centre-to-Station access route.

The extra minute’s walk is more than outweighed by the benefits the redevelopment has delivered – principally, the station now offers the convenience and choice of a wide range of retailers. This is what our customers have said they want to see at major railway stations.

The extra minute’s walk is an unnecessary impost on commuters. Retail redevelopment could have occurred while preserving the former convenient access arrangements. While customers may want more retail options, they do not want this at the expense of easy and efficient access to the station.

The redevelopment has also allowed us to convert a disused loading bay lift at the Elizabeth Street entrance into a lift for our customers. This is a major benefit – previously there was only one lift for the station, at the Swanston Street end.

This is a good thing.

A fourth major entry point to the station has been developed. The new north-south walkway from Melbourne Central makes it easier and quicker to pass through the complex to the station. Although it was possible to enter the station from the shopping centre, the old entrance was not well-positioned and it was little used.

An undercover Lonsdale Street connection existed previously. The new route will be more direct than previously, however those heading south will now be encouraged to walk through a shopping centre rather than using Swanston Street, which certainly suits the retailers.

One aim has been to integrate better the Melbourne Central complex with the station. Public transport needs to offer ease and convenience in traveling to major attractions – such as the CBD retail heart. The closer integration makes it easier for customers to travel from Bourke Street Mall all the way to the station using undercover walkways and in-store thoroughfares.

We don’t disagree with integration between train stations and retail complexes and major attractions.

We do disagree that this should come at the expense of the majority of commuters whose destination is not the shopping centre, but rather workplaces or universities.

Q – Have you closed the Swanston Street entrance to the station?

A – No. Customers for Melbourne Central station still enter at the same point near the corner of Swanston and Latrobe Sts.

Q – Have you closed the Swanston Street entrance to the station?

A – Yes, the new entrance to the station is in the middle of the shopping centre, not at Swanston Street. The only entrance that hasn’t been closed is that to the shopping centre. Even if you disagree with perceptions of where the entrance is, the current entry point will be closed outside shopping hours from 2004.

Q – What has changed?

A – Customers enter at the same point.

Q – What has changed?

A – Customers now have to detour via the shopping centre, rather than heading direct to the station concourse from the street.

Previously, customers would walk down two sets of stairs and then take a bank of escalators down to the station concourse, entering at the eastern end of the concourse.

From November 5, customers will enter at the same point and walk down the same stairs. They will then turn to the left and follow a short walk through the Melbourne Central complex to a new bank of escalators leading down to the concourse.

Customers will enter the station concourse more or less at its middle point, facing the new Food Court.

Previously, customers would walk down two sets of stairs and than take a single bank of escalators direct to the station concourse, entering at the eastern end of the concourse.

From November 5, customers enter at the same point and walk down the same stairs. They will then turn to the left and walk half a city block through the Melbourne Central complex to two new banks of escalators leading down to the concourse (the second escalators effectively completing a U-turn into the station).

Customers enter the station concourse more or less at its middle point, facing the new Food Court.

Q – Why have you changed the Swanston Street entrance?

A – The Swanston Street entrance has been realigned to better integrate it with the wider Melbourne Central complex. One entrance now serves the combined shopping, entertainment and transport hub, with customers walking only a short distance into the shopping complex before taking an escalator down to the new concourse entrance.

This entrance opens onto the Food Court and a new Customer Service Centre. It presents a more vibrant and welcoming face for our customers, while the retailing that has been added on the concourse offers the convenience and choice that public transport users are looking for.

Q – Why have you changed the Swanston Street entrance?

A – Because they think you prefer integration with the Melbourne Central Complex ahead of easy access to Swanston Street.

A – More traffic will pass through the shopping centre, theoretically leading to increased retail sales and more profits for the shopping centre. We wonder whether the heavy stream of passengers will actually deter shoppers. Also passengers may find other stations more convenient, thus reducing the possible customer base for shops in Melbourne Central.

A – M>Train were paid for removal of the old escalators. In other words, there was a financial incentive for them to degrade customer access to the station. The operators need all the financial incentives they can get at the moment.

Q – But don’t you make customers walk further to connect with trams on Swanston Street?

A – The extra distance is negligible and we extensively analysed customer movements through the station to ensure its impact was minimal. We feel it will have no real impact on customer perceptions of the ease of transferring between tram and train services.

The minute or so it takes to walk the extra distance is more than outweighed by the new station concourse, which offers the convenience and range of retailing options that our customers have said they want.

One way in which public transport can compete more effectively against the car is to offer closer integration with major attractions – such as sporting, entertainment and shopping venues. This has been one of the factors underlying the redevelopment of Melbourne Central station.

Q – But don’t you make customers walk further to connect with trams on Swanston Street?

A – The extra distance roughly doubles the distance people have to travel. The extensive customer movements analysis assumed the La Trobe Street exit (previously only used by 1% of passengers) will suddenly become popular, even though the middle of LaTrobe Street contains very few (if any) passenger destinations. The study also failed to consider that people heading north out of the station would in many cases use trams along Swanston Street to high traffic destinations like Melbourne University.

The minute or so it takes to walk the extra distance was not essential in offering the convenience and range of retailing options that customers have said they want.

One way in which public transport can compete more effectively against the car is to reduce journey times by offering closer integration with BETWEEN TRANSPORT MODES – such as trains and trams. This has been one of the factors ignored in the redevelopment of Melbourne Central station.

Q – Will the entrance be open first to last train?

A – Yes. Customers will able to use the Swanston Street entrance from 30 minutes before the first train of the day until 30 minutes after the last train.

Q – Will the entrance be open first to last train?

A – No, the current entrance will only be open shopping hours (to 7.30pm daily). Customers will need to use a new Swanston Street entrance that is further from LaTrobe Street and the tram stop. This will increase travel time further after hours.

Q – What about security?

A – Melbourne Central has its own security arrangements with roving security officers. These will help customers feel safe when they are passing through the complex going to or from the station.

Once they enter the station itself, security will be provided by M>Train

Q – What about security?

A – Melbourne Central has its own security arrangements with roving security officers to patrol what could well be a deserted shopping centre after hours. Customers are likely to feel exposed and lonely while passing through the complex at night.

Q – What about customers who have a disability?

A – The existing ramp that opens onto Latrobe St at the corner of Swanston Street will remain in use.

Customers will use this ramp which will bring them down to the level of the new walkway (other customers reach this level by walking down the existing set of stairs).

They will then proceed along the short walkway to the new lift to the station concourse.

Customers will use this ramp which will bring them down to the level of the new walkway (other customers reach this level by walking down the existing set of stairs).

They will then proceed along the short walkway to the new lift to the station concourse.

Q – What about customers who have a disability?

A – The existing ramp will be replaced by the McIntyre Alley entrance which is DDA compliant. However wheelchair users will need to cross the path of heavy traffic using the current Swanston Street entrance to get to the lift.

Q – Are there the same number of escalators?

A – There are currently four escalators leading down from the Swanston Street entrance to the station concourse.

The new entrance pathway, through the complex, will lead to a bank of three escalators connecting to the main entrance. The escalators are broken into two sections with a short section of stairway between.

The opening of the north-south walkway will reduce the number of customers using the Swanston Street entrance to the station and three escalators will comfortably meet this reduced demand.

Q – Are there the same number of escalators?

A – No, there will be one less escalator for customers using Swanston Street. The fourth escalator will be replaced with stairs. In peak hour, customers may have no option other than the stairs when moving in contra-peak flow. These escalators will need to cope with shopper traffic as well as station traffic.

The opening of the north-south walkway will force some customers currently using the Swanston Street entrance to the station to walk through two blocks of retail on their way to Lonsdale Street.

Q – What about the barriers?

A – All existing barriers will be relocated.

Q – What about the barriers?

A – The existing barriers have been relocated, making the entrance to the paid-area badly suited for escalator access to platforms 3 and 4.

Q – What about the monitors?

A – These will also be relocated, so customers coming through the concourse entrance will able to immediately check the time and platform of their train.

Q – What about the monitors?

A – These have been relocated, however they are spread out over a longer span and most are not visible when descending the escalators to the station.

Q – The escalators at the Swanston Street end face towards the old entry point. Are they being turned around?

A – Relocating or reorienting the escalators was not included as part of the redevelopment. Customers coming through the new Swanston Street access route will face a few extra metres to get from the new barriers to the top of the platform escalators.

We apologise for any inconvenience but feel this is counter-balanced by the delivery of a new station that provides better facilities and a far more vibrant atmosphere for our customers.

Q – The escalators at the Swanston Street end face towards the old entry point. Are they being turned around?

A – Relocating or reorienting the escalators was not included as part of the redevelopment. Customers coming through the new Swanston Street access route will face even more detours to get from the new barriers to the platform.

M>Train apologise for this inconvenience. They have also failed to influence the redevelopment such that the existing entrance could be retained while still providing better facilities and a more vibrant atmosphere for our customers.

Overall redevelopment

Q – What has been done with the Melbourne Central station?

A – Melbourne Central station is the second busiest station on Melbourne’s suburban rail network and the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the M>Train franchise.

Overall redevelopment

Q – What has been done with the Melbourne Central station?

A – Melbourne Central station is the second busiest station on Melbourne’s suburban rail network and was the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the M>Train franchise. It now has a dysfunctional station entrance from Swanston Street.

M>Train has been examining options for the commercial development of Melbourne Central for several years. This would generate revenue for the business while offering new facilities for customers in a refreshed, enhanced station.

The redevelopment of Melbourne Central, following the departure of Daimaru, created an opportunity to redevelop the station and integrate it more effectively with the shopping/entertainment and office complex from which it takes it name.

Extensive work has been done on the station concourse, which is the level below the entrances but above the platforms, to open up space for new retailers and a Food Court.

New retailers have also been added at the concourse level of the Elizabeth Street entrance, while redevelopment of the area about this entrance at ground level, including the foyer area of the adjacent office tower, will add more retail outlets to the complex.

Apart from added retailing at street-level, there have been minimal changes to the Elizabeth Street entrance to the station.

The redevelopment has some benefits as mentioned. They are making better use of space, but have allowed the changes to come at the expense of easy of customer movement to Swanston Street.

The changes to the Elizabeth Street entrance demonstrate how it is possible to have improved retailing options at the station, while still allowing quick and efficient access to the station. This model should have been applied at the previous Swanston Street entrance.

At Swanston Street, customers will continue to enter the station through the existing Swanston Street ‘portal’ but will follow a new access path through the complex.

Customers will enter from the same point on Swanston Street, walk down the existing set of stairs and then follow a short walkway through Melbourne Central before taking new banks of escalators down to a new concourse entrance (facing the Food Court).

The new concourse entrance will also connect to a north-south walkway that will take customers under Little Lonsdale, into the Melbourne Central building between Lonsdale and Little Lonsdale. The north-south walkway, resembling one of Melbourne’s famed laneways, will offer customers a wide range of retail and entertainment options.

Combining the new retail outlets along the walkway, with the Food Court and other retailers around the station concourse, M>Train customers will have the option of up to 60 different shops, businesses and outlets.

See above.

Q – Who is doing the redevelopment?

A – Bovis Lend Lease is undertaking the redevelopment on behalf of Lend Lease Retail.

Lend Lease Retail is managing the redevelopment of the whole Melbourne Central complex, including the leasing of new retail and other businesses

See above.

Q – Who is doing the redevelopment?

A – Bovis Lend Lease, whose primary interest is maximizing profits for retailers in the complex.

Q – How much did the redevelopment cost? Who’s paying for it?

A – Around $260M paid for by Lend Lease Retail.

Q – How much is M>Train making out of it?

A – M>Train does not make any direct financial return from the redevelopment. We gain an exciting new station with greatly improved facilities for our customers.

The concourse area that contains the Food Court and retailers was part of M>Train’s Melbourne Central station lease with VicTrack – the State Government body which owns all railway land and associated properties (which are in leased to public transport operators as part of their franchise arrangements).

This area was removed from the M>Train lease and sold by VicTrack to Global Property Trust – a listed property investment company. Lend Lease Retail manages the redevelopment on behalf of this company.

M>Train negotiated fair reimbursement from VicTrack for the loss of this part of its station lease. This figure, based on the market value of the area ‘excised’, is treated as commercial in confidence and is not public.

Q – How much is M>Train making out of it?

A – M>Train have received a confidential payment for reducing ease of customer access to the station from Swanston Street. In other words, they have been paid to inconvenience their customers.

Q – What were/are the key stages?

A – The redevelopment started on 31 January 2003. From that date until 15 February, the Elizabeth Street entrance to the station was closed.

From 16 February 2003, the escalators at the Latrobe Street entrance were replaced by temporary stairs (which were removed on 25 September).

Stage 1 was completed when the Food Court opened on 24th September 2003.

Stage 2 ends with the opening of the new main entrance, the north-south walkway and new Swanston Street access route [28 October 2003].

Stage 3 – the redevelopment of the area at the bottom the current escalators from the Swanston Street entrance should be completed mid next year. This area is being developed into a supermarket.

Q – What were/are the key stages?

A – The key stages are as described. However a key stage missing was consultation with major transport user representatives at any time in the planning of the redevelopment.

Q – When will the new ticket booth open?

A – The Customer Service Centre at the Elizabeth Street end is unchanged.

The Swanston Street centre has been replaced by a temporary ‘ticket booth’ opposite the new main entrance (next to the Food Court). A new permanent Customer Service Centre will open on this location by the end of November.

Q – Have any of the escalators to the platforms from the concourse been changed?

A – All existing escalators have been retained. At various stages of the project, some of these escalators were closed to allow for works around them.

Q – Have any of the escalators to the platforms from the concourse been changed?

A – No – all existing escalators have been retained and are now sub-optimally configured for the station entrance, adding additional detours for passengers.

Concourse

Q – Is it harder to move around now that the concourse is taken up the Food Court and retailers?

A – It is very easy to move from one end of the concourse to the other. There are no retailers near the escalators. Access to and from the platforms is easy and unhindered.

Space that was previously ‘wasted’ or poorly utilised has been redeveloped into the Food Court and the new east-west concourse walkway lined with retailers. This wide walkway runs from the Elizabeth Street end to the Swanston Street end.

The Food Court is partly located on an area that was a void – it was open to the platforms below. Many of the retailers along the south (Lonsdale Street) side of the concourse are simply replacing pre-existing concourse retailers – although the location has been significantly improved in line with the redevelopment of the station.

Ease of movement has been retained – but customers are now moving through a much improved station that offers a welcoming and exciting atmosphere.

Concourse

Q – Is it harder to move around now that the concourse is taken up the Food Court and retailers?

A – Yes, if you are in the paid area of the concourse. In peak hours if an escalator is out of action, you may only be able to exit to one end of the concourse level. If you are outside the paid area, there is a narrower pathway linking the two station entrances, which is lined with retail outlets.

Elizabeth Street

Q – What has changed at this entrance?

A – There have been no real changes to the entrance itself. However, as part of the redevelopment of the wider complex, the area around the entrance (at street level) and the adjacent foyer to the officer tower is being significantly altered.

Instead of walking directly from the street to the escalators down to the station concourse, customers will have a short walk through the redeveloped Elizabeth Street face of the complex. There will be retailers and other business located in this area.

The current stairs alongside the escalators will move from the righthand side (as you travel down into the station) to the left of them.

An existing disused loading bay lift is being turned into a lift for customers. This will be entered via the adjacent complex.

As there is no lift at this entrance to the station, this represent a major improvement for our customers. Works are being finalised on the new Elizabeth Street lift and it should be open before the end of November.

The escalators now give onto an area that has been brightened with the addition to three new retailers.

Elizabeth Street

Q – What has changed at this entrance?

A – The entrance has improved retail and lift access, while maintaining fairly direct access to the station. This is basically what needed to be done at Swanston Street. However, easy of movement on the street level will be restricted, requiring some longer travel paths for some users.

Q – What about barriers?

A – Two under-used ticket barriers have been relocated form another part of the station and added to those at the Elizabeth Street end. This will make it easier for customers to enter and leave the ‘paid area’ and platforms.

This change is supported.

Latrobe St entrance

Q – Have you changed the entrance from Latrobe Street?

A – During works, the escalators connecting the Latrobe Street entrance with the station concourse were closed and replaced by temporary stairs.

Now, however the escalators are operational again.

Apart from relocating the barriers that customers using this entrance pass through to enter the ‘paid area’ of the concourse, there are no changes to the Latrobe Street entrance.

Latrobe St entrance

Q – Have you changed the entrance from Latrobe Street?

A – Yes, the entrance now requires you to navigate a food hall and then walk to either end of the station to reach a concourse. This is a longer and more congested path. It will make an unpopular entrance even more unpopular.

Q – Have you done any work on the platforms?

A – The redevelopment does not encompass the Melbourne Central platforms.

However, reconfiguration of the power supply system at the station, through the redevelopment, may create opportunities for ‘small scale’ commercial development on the platforms to reinvigorate them for our customers.

M>Train thanks all its customers for their patience during the station redevelopment.

We hope they will also apologise to their Swanston Street customers for the extra time it will take them every time they use the station. For people travelling 5 days a week this will be over 8 hours a year of wasted time.