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Labor says 'no' to Lilydale Station parking
Sunday, 31 May 2020
In a slap in the face to Lilydale residents and train commuters, the Andrews Labor Government has refused to listen and has ruled out increasing car parking capacity at Lilydale Train Station.
Local MP Bridget Vallence has been calling on the Andrews Labor Government for the last 18 months to urgently address the crisis in car parking at Lilydale Train Station, raising the issue in Parliament on several occasions, demanding answers for local Lilydale residents and the Lilydale township group.
In finally responding to Ms Vallence’s questions, the Minister for Transport Infrastructure confirmed what we already knew, that the old bus interchange would be converted to car spaces to partially offset the loss of 120 car parks along William Streets East and West. The Minister claimed this would result in “no net loss” of car parking.
In heavily censored documents obtained by Ms Vallence under Freedom of Information legislation, it has been revealed Level Crossing Removal bureaucrats were seeking “rapid assessment planning advice” on “additional car parking near Lilydale Station”. In one email, an LXRP officer said “Car parking is a hot issue”.
In stark contrast, Mooroolbark Train Station will get 450 new car parks as part of the level crossing removal, but Lilydale will get none.
Comments attributable to local MP, Member for Evelyn, Bridget Vallence:
“This arrogant Andrews Labor Government has chosen to ignore the concerns of Lilydale train commuters and is refusing to provide any additional car parking at the Lilydale Train Station.”
“The Andrews Government clearly doesn’t understand what matters most to local Lilydale residents. Lilydale commuters don’t care about a ‘no net loss’ of car parks, they want a ‘net increase’ in car parking.”
“The existing unsealed Lilydale Train Station car park is full before morning peak begins at 7.00am. Lilydale locals have been crying out for more car parks, but the Andrews Labor Government has left them high and dry, and they’re forced to park in side streets or at the football ground”.
“The Andrews Labor Government is spending more than half a billion dollars to remove the Lilydale and Mooroolbark level crossings, but it won’t spend a cent to increase car parking at Lilydale Train Station, which is already shamefully lacking.”
“I will continue to campaign to increase car parking at the Lilydale Train Station and give local Lilydale commuters much needed relief”.
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