Box Hill Extension Opening
2/05/2003
Yarra Trams' launched its route 109 tramline extension to Box Hill this morning with festive celebrations held at the new route terminus at Market Street on Whitehorse Road.
Attending the launch was the Premier, Steve Bracks, Minister for Transport, Peter Batchelor, Yarra Trams' Chief Executive Officer, Hubert Guyot and the Mayor for the City of Whitehorse, Jessie McCallum.
Mr Guyot said: ''This is a very special day for Yarra Trams and the Box Hill community. Not only will people now have access to the tram, the tram stops are fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act, providing complete access for those with mobility impairment.''
''The extension also demonstrates modern principles of beautification and incorporates infrastructure harmoniously with its environment. The piazza-style terminus, tracks surrounded by grass and the undergrounding of services to reduce clutter to the skyline, are three fine examples of this.''
Yarra Trams' also invited the community to attend the launch of the tramline that will make visiting Box Hill's hospital, TAFE, shopping centre, train and bus interchanges so much easier.
The launch featured guest speakers, music, a horse-drawn tram and a community art project coordinated by RAtARtAt. The project featured art completed by the local community, including a box sculpture at the terminus and colourful wooden passengers at the new tram stops.
The Box Hill extension forms part of the Tram 109 project, a joint initiative with the Victorian State Government to create a showcase tram route embodying the very best and most modern passenger transport infrastructure and services.
Mr Guyot says: ''Already the Tram 109 project has begun to show Melburnians what we can achieve with real commitment to the passenger transport system from government, stakeholders and the community.''
The Box Hill tramline extension lengthens the 17 kilometre route by 2.2 kilometres, from its previous terminus at Union Road, Mont Albert, to outside the busy Box Hill shopping centre. Grass-covered track has been installed from Elgar Road to the terminus.
The extension cost a total of $28 million and will begin to operate scheduled services from Sunday, 4th May 2003. The Citadis low floor trams will exclusively service route 109, Yarra Trams' showcase route.
A free tram shuttle service will operate between Box Hill and Mont Albert between 10.00am and 4.00pm on Saturday so the community can experience the new extension before regular services commence.
Box Hill Central is the largest transport interchange in suburban Melbourne, servicing 18 different bus routes and the Lilydale and Belgrave train lines. Each day there are 17,000 train travelers and 3700 bus passengers using the interchange, and up to 330,000 people are expected to use the new Box Hill extension each year.