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Box Hill Community Members Share Views on Transport and Traffic Pressures
Residents describe daily effects from congestion on key roads and the role of ongoing infrastructure work.
How we reported this
Box Hill community members are describing the effects of traffic conditions on their daily travel as congestion continues on major routes through the suburb.
Transport Network Details
Box Hill functions as a transport hub in Melbourne's eastern suburbs with Melbourne's only underground suburban railway station, listed as the 10th busiest train station in the city. It serves as the eastern terminus of tram route 109 and operates the second busiest bus interchange in Melbourne with 20 routes. These elements form the core of local movement options referenced in planning documents.
Congestion Effects on Travel
Traffic congestion in Box Hill is worsening, with morning commute times from Gables to Norwest increasing by 9 minutes over the past year and average speeds dropping to 21.8 km/h on Windsor and Old Windsor Roads. Key arterial roads handle heavy volumes, with Elgar Road carrying over 30,000 vehicles per day and Whitehorse Road carrying 20,000 vehicles per day. Community members point to these volumes as factors that create barriers for pedestrians and cyclists moving through the area.
Planned Infrastructure Work
The Suburban Rail Loop East interchange station is currently under construction at Box Hill to connect directly to the existing underground station, with direct rail services to Cheltenham scheduled to open in 2035. Box Hill is positioned near the Eastern Freeway and Eastlink, and the upcoming North East Link project connecting the M80 to the Eastern Freeway is expected to further improve access to the suburb. Residents note these developments as part of longer-term changes to the network.
Community members continue to discuss how current road volumes and travel times shape their choices for commuting and local trips. The combination of existing bus, tram and rail services with road conditions remains a focus for those using the network each day. Future connections such as the 2035 rail services are viewed as elements that may alter travel patterns once complete.