‘Significant impact’: Staff and patients blindsided by road closure for Suburban Rail Loop

Patients at Monash Medical Centre and Monash Children’s Hospital have been blindsided by the weeks-long road closure for the Suburban Rail Loop.

Patients at two major Melbourne hospitals have been warned road closures related to the $34.5 billion Suburban Rail Loop will cause a “significant impact”.

But Premier Jacinta Allan defended the closure, saying it would be for the “shortest possible period of time”.

The Herald Sun can reveal the Monash Medical Centre and Monash Children’s Hospital were blindsided by the weeks-long road closure outside the entrance to the facility on Clayton Rd.

While businesses and other stakeholders along the busy thoroughfare were told months in advance, staff and patients at Victoria’s largest public health service were only given notice about 10 days before the road was set to be closed.

The full-time road closure between Colonel St and Haughton Rd is expected to last until late October as crews commence works on one of six SRL East stations.

Staff and patients at Monash Medical Centre in Clayton were given a handful of days notice about a major road closure outside the hospital. Picture: Andy Brownbill

In communications seen by the Herald Sun, Monash Health informed staff about the “unexpected disruption” on August 15, adding they had only been notified late into the SRL planning process.

They added roadworks would have a significant impact on staff and patients at the Monash Medical Centre and Monash Children’s Hospital.

Sources said Monash Health was forced to ask the Suburban Rail Loop Authority for more time to accommodate the late change of plan, which delayed the project by a week.

A follow up email sent to staff on Monday confirmed emergency vehicles would still be able to access the hospital, despite the major disruption.

“The SRL construction team has ensured emergency vehicle access will be maintained, but we do expect a significant impact on patients, visitors, delivery drivers and employees,” the email read.

“Vehicle access to our Clayton facilities will be restricted to traffic travelling southbound only, with a ‘dead end’ south of our largest site.

“There will also be tow away zones in local side streets, including Browns Road. “

Victorian Transport Infrastructure minister Danny Pearson was unwilling to share details about when the SRLA communicated the road closure to Monash Health. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

Detours for pedestrians coming from Clayton Railway Station have also been set up, with the SRL project team co-ordinating “wayfinding support” for patients on the ground.

“These works will result in more pressure on local side streets and parking, and I understand this will cause some frustration for employees,” the email continued.

Allan said works would be done in th shortest possible period of time to minimise disruption.

“Clayton Road has been closed so that works can be done in the shortest possible period of time, which does minimise that overall disruption,” the Premier said.

“Fom previous experience, we know that this can be managed, as long as it’s managed carefully and closely.

“When we removed the level crossing on Clayton Road the level crossing used to sit right on Clayton Road, right near the Monash health services, and it used to be a significant barrier to people being able to access healthcare.”

Ms Allan said a “transformational” project such as the Suburban Rail Loop was bound to cause disruption.

“A transformational city-shaping project in this size and scale will absolutely come with disruption.

“What’s really important as we manage disruption through all of our projects ... what’s absolutely imperative is that we work closely with local communities and businesses and in this case, health services.

“Projects like this do come with disruption.”

Neither the SRLA or SRL minister Danny Pearson were willing to disclose what day Monash Health had been notified about the road closure.

A SRLA spokesperson confirmed they had granted a request to delay the road closure so that Monash Health could update staff and patients.

“We have been working closely with Monash Health for several weeks to ensure the needs of patients and staff are met during this period, including delaying the start of works to enable further support measures to be put in place,” they said.