COMMUTERS using Frankston train station in future may have to pay to park as part of the redevelopment of the transport hub.
Labor pledged to spend $50 million to upgrade the train station and its surrounds before winning last November’s state election. The project may become a private public partnership joint venture.
A Frankston Station Precinct Taskforce headed by Labor MP Paul Edbrooke has been established and formally met for the first time last Wednesday (11 March).
“We are seeking private investment into this project and that might be in the way of buildings around the station [or] it could be in parking,” Mr Edbrooke said.
“We [may] get someone who says ‘we will build or give you half the money for the car park’”.
Representatives from council, police, Chisholm TAFE, the Frankston Business Network, Public Transport Victoria and government officials are taskforce members.
The Times understands talk at the first taskforce meeting held at the Frankston Arts Centre focused on structuring the project but the viability of building a multi-deck car park at the train station at a cost of about $20 million is focusing minds on the project’s overall budget.
It is early days for the train station upgrade project, seen as vital to improve Frankston’s amenity and reputation, but even so the $20 million needed to build a new car park will put pressure on the $50 million budget allocated to revitalise the train station.
Charging commuters to park at Frankston train station could be a way to ensure the station receives a state-of-the-art upgrade rather than a limited refurbishment.
Parking at Frankston station’s car park is currently free but overcrowding makes it impossible to get a parking space at peak travel times.
While Mr Edbrooke said paid parking could be on the agenda he said “it’s very premature” to know whether fees for parking will be introduced but “it’s quite a possibility in my mind”.
Mr Edbrooke said the myki card system could be used to pay for car parking but the taskforce had not yet discussed this option.
The taskforce will formally meet each month.
Frankston councillors met behind closed doors last Tuesday evening (10 March) to discuss council input into the station revamp.
Deputy mayor Cr Glenn Aitken said “council is working to ensure it has a well-considered position regarding the redevelopment of the railway station precinct to present to the government taskforce”.
Council’s draft interim submission will be available for community feedback before an official submission is made to the taskforce.
A public meeting will be held on 1 April before council’s formal submission is finalised.
The previous Coalition government promised $33 million to upgrade the train station area before its November state election defeat.
– The Frankston Station Precinct Taskforce has nine main members.
They are: Paul Edbrooke (Frankston Labor MP), Sandra Mayer (Frankston mayor), Maria Peters (Chisholm TAFE CEO), Anthony Silva (Victoria Police), Karin Hann (Frankston Business Network executive officer), Jasminder Singh (Public Transport Victoria), Rob Robson (Public Transport Victoria), Julian Lyngcoln (Department of Environment and Primary Industries), Geoff Oulton (Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources).
