PROMISES to upgrade Frankston railway station and its surrounds made by ex-premier Ted Baillieu before the 2010 state election could come back to haunt the Coalition government this year.
With just months until the state election in November, the state government has issued a revised plan that omits many of the improvements spruiked by the former premier.
The latest proposal does not mention a new bus interchange at the station or a new multi-deck car park, as flagged by Baillieu six days before voters went to the polls on 27 November 2010.
The Department of Transport Planning and Local Infrastructure released a ‘Frankston Station Precinct Improvement Project’ featuring draft ideas for public feedback last month but neglected to make any announcement about the plan or the deadline for feedback.
The draft was posted on the department’s website.
Cr Colin Hampton will urge Frankston Council to seek urgent meetings with Premier Denis Napthine and state Planning Minister Matthew Guy to lobby for council to be “the lead organisation” to construct a transit interchange at the Frankston station “within the next year”.
Cr Hampton said the money for the $13.8 million project could be deducted from the $100 million pledged by the state government for Frankston line upgrades.
“They need to build a fair dinkum bus terminal there and that should include a multi-storey car park,” Cr Hampton said.
“The current proposal is just a patchwork plan and is a waste of money.”
He said a new bus terminal should be built on the Fletcher Rd side of the station to clear the Young St side which is often congested with traffic.
He said the state government was “not listening” and the Frankston station upgrade plans have been “handballed to bureaucrats”.
He blamed “successive state governments” for failing to provide a “safe and attractive” station.
A project manager hired by council, but paid for by the state government, would be the ideal way to ensure progress is made on the station upgrade, according to Cr Hampton.
The latest DTPLI draft plan aims to “deliver improvements to the station’s surroundings” by installing wider footpaths and moving towards “a greener precinct with more trees and space”.
“High-quality lighting” within the station and its surrounds is also planned.
Visit www.dpcd.vic.gov.au to see the Frankston Station Precinct Improvement Project draft plan.
The deadline for public feedback on the draft plan is Friday 23 May.
