Peak hour parking for motorists in Melbourne’s north-east will soon be faster and easier with works beginning to build up to 120 new and upgraded commuter car parks at Hurstbridge Station.
The successful builder, Ace Infrastructure, who has extensive experience constructing station car parks across both regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne, has started construction on the $2.8 million project.
The project is jointly funded, with the Federal Government’s contribution part of the Morrison Government’s ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Commuter Carpark Fund which includes a $395 million investment to increase carpark capacity across Melbourne.
Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said Hurstbridge was the first of thirty carpark upgrades in Melbourne that will strip up to 13,000 cars off the road.
“It is entirely frustrating when people arrive at the train station and can’t find a park, we want to eliminate that problem for thousands of motorists making their morning commute to work easier,” Mr Tudge said.
Victorian Minister for Public Transport Melissa Horne said the upgrade is part of the Andrews Government’s work to build extra carparks at stations across Victoria.
“Over the past four years the Andrews Government has delivered almost 10,000 parking spaces at stations across the state, and we’re now working to deliver up to 11,000 more spaces.”
The project will include new and upgraded car park spaces along Graysharps Road west of Hurstbridge Station.
State Member for Yan Yean Danielle Green said the car park’s features will help more commuters get to the station and get on the train safely.
“With new bicycle storage facilities, four new accessible parking spaces and upgraded lighting and CCTV features, we’re making it easier for commuters at Hurstbridge” Ms Green said.
Other improvements coming up on the Hurstbridge line include a new station at Greensborough and the duplication of three kilometres of track between Greensborough and Eltham, and 1.5 kilometres between Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen.
Stage one of the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade was completed last year, with the duplication of 1.2 kilometres of track between Heidelberg and Rosanna, the removal of two level crossings, and a new station constructed at Rosanna.
The project is jointly funded by the Federal and State Governments.
