Uber-stated alternative to parking

The following letter was submitted to The Age in response to an article published on 31 August: Getting rail passengers Ubers more effective than commuter car parks: expert

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Offering Ubers instead of commuter car parks makes a colourful headline (The Age, 31/7) but is far from reality in my neck of the woods, Frankston.

Thousands of commuters Ubering from outside Frankston is absurd – 43% come from Mornington Peninsula, 13% from neighbouring suburbs.

Frankston’s “transit interchange” is just a patch of bitumen holding 416 cars; it’s full by 6.30am. In 1975, yes 1975, a new multi-deck car park was announced but never built.

At the last state and federal elections, both parties committed to more Frankston line parking – in our CBD or at Kananook and Seaford stations. More spaces are essential to provide affordable parking for local workers and reduce Frankston street congestion.

Our car park is now caught up in the $660m car park fund fracas. It’s on this list, sure, but was on a list of its own in 2018, before the controversy.

We do support one point in the story, though. Monash University’s Liz Taylor said park and rides should be kept for end-of-line stations, away from areas of economic activity. We’ve advocated this for years – extend the Frankston line 5km to Langwarrin and build 5000 commuter spaces there. Anything else is a temporary fix.

~ Ginevra Hosking, CEO- Committee for Greater Frankston