State and federal Labor pledge to build multi-deck car park for Frankston station

Car park pledges: From left, Jacinta Allan, Paul Edbrooke, Peta Murphy and Anthony Albanese at Frankston station on 27 September.

THE Victorian Labor government and federal Labor Opposition have promised to jointly fund a $35 million multi-level car park near Frankston train station if they each win government.  The Victorian election is on 24 November 2018 and the federal election will be held before May 2019.  The promises were made on Thursday 27 September when Victorian public transport minister Jacinta Allan was joined by Anthony Albanese, the federal Opposition’s spokesman for infrastructure, transport, cities and regional development. They were accompanied by state Labor MP Paul Edbrooke and federal Labor candidate Peta Murphy.

The Victorian Opposition in mid-September said it would build a 450-space multi-deck car park at a cost of $30 million if it wins government in November. The pledge was not dependent on which party won the federal election. Jacinta Allan said the state government would build a 500-space multi-decker as part of its $150 million “Car Parks for Commuters Fund”, which would “add 11,000 car parks at some of our busiest … train stations”.  Federal Labor’s $17.5 million contribution will come from its $300 million National Park and Ride Fund for new or expanded car parks at public transport hubs.

Frankston station currently has a 416-space ground-level car park owned by Public Transport Victoria (PTV). It is full before 6.30am on weekdays. Committee for Greater Frankston president Fred Harrison said more accessible and user-friendly car parking in Frankston’s CBD was one of the committee’s main advocacy priorities. “Insufficient free and accessible parking has become a barrier to economic growth so today’s announcement is a good start, but it’s just a beginning as a solution to this major problem requires a much wider strategy,” he said. “Frankston’s economy can’t continue to grow unless the lack of car parking is solved.”

The committee has asked both the Labor state government and the Liberal Opposition to:
1 Change state planning rules so more parking is provided in outer suburban areas like Frankston than in areas better serviced by public transport in inner suburbs such as Richmond and South Melbourne.
2 Extend the Frankston train line to Langwarrin/Baxter and provide a large car park at both locations. This would free-up parking presently taken by commuters in Frankston’s city centre so it can be used by traders, workers, shoppers and visitors.

Mr Harrison said extending the train line required both federal and state government funding.
“The Liberal Party at federal and state levels, and federal Labor have all committed to the project, but the Victorian Labor government has yet to do so. We urge the state government to join the other levels of government in funding this project.”

The committee is tracking election promises made by both major political parties. See “2018-2019 Election Commitments” on this website.

Read the media coverage:

Parking promises pile up at station

Brodie Cowburn, Frankston Times, 1 October 2018, page 1

Parking pain plan. Labor promises 500 spaces at station.

Frankston Leader, 1 October 2018, page 6. 

FRANKSTON traders, commuters and shoppers are in line for some parking relief.
State Labor has promised to build a $35 million, 500-space expansion of parking at the train station — with $17.5 million of the money to come from federal coffers — if it wins the November election.
The promise follows a Coalition pledge for a $30 million, multi-level, 450-space carpark should it win the poll.
It will be a boon to the 416-space ground-level park, which is full on weekdays before 6.30am.
But while Committee for Greater Frankston president Fred Harrison welcomed the announcement, he said 450 or 500 spaces would not fix Frankston’s dire parking woes.
“Insufficient free and accessible parking has become a barrier to economic growth so this announcement by the State Government is a good start, but it’s just a beginning as a solution to this major problem requires a much wider strategy,” Mr Harrison said.
“Traders, business owners, workers, commuters, shoppers and visitors are telling us Frankston’s economy can’t grow unless the lack of carparking is solved.

Parties park their bids for votes

MP News Group website, 1 October 2018, Keith Platt
THE bid for votes at the 24 November state election is proving fruitful for train commuters with the Labor government offering 50 more spaces at Frankston station than the Liberal opposition.
In mid-September the opposition pledged to build a $30 million 450-space multi-deck car park and last week this was topped by Labor coming with a 500-space car park plan.
Labor’s promise will depend on the state government regaining office and the federal Labor toppling the government now led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
While neither the government or opposition has indicated where they plan to build the car park, it is not expected to be on Public Transport Victoria land which Already provides 416 parking spaces at the station.
Land owned by Frankston Council is likely to be needed for the multi-deck car park.
On weekdays the existing car park is full before 6.30am and train commuters are forced to park up to 500 metres away and pay as much as $13 a day.
Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan last Thursday said Frankston’s new car park will be part of the government’s $150 million Car Parks for Commuters Fund.
She said the Labor government had “delivered a brand-new station with new public areas, upgraded pedestrian connections and a redeveloped Young Street”.
“As part of this investment, the Labor Government also carried out research to address parking issues at the station,” Ms Allan said.
“Now that this massive construction blitz is almost complete, a re-elected Labor government will get on with delivering 500 new car spaces.”
Ms Allen said the government was also “undertaking the business case and planning work necessary for a future extension of the Frankston line”.