Every morning, car parking at Rockbank train station becomes a race against time. As someone who relies on this station daily for my commute, I find myself and many others thrown into a stressful situation when the car park gets full by 7:15 AM. This forces many of us who catch the train after 7:30 AM to abandon traditional parking and resort to parking on the sides of roads or near the entry and exit points of the station.

This is far from a mere inconvenience. Our current predicament significantly increases personal safety risks and the likelihood of accidents. Visibility becomes an issue for other drivers due to parked cars obstructing views, and our station entry and exit points become congested during peak hours. The congestion also often leads to confrontations caused by this unfortunate lack of parking spaces.

It's not just about the daily commuters - this issue affects everyone in our community, from women to the elderly. Without a sufficient number of parking spaces, their safety and convenience are compromised.

Providing an adequate number of parking spaces at train stations is a basic requirement in global standards. A study from the Victoria University has previously highlighted parking problems at train stations across Melbourne, identifying inadequate parking facilities as a major deterrent for public transport usage.

The station is being used by people from Aintree, Rockbank, Accolade, Mt. Atkinson, Deanside, Bonnie brook and more of these suburbs. The current car spaces is not enough with the growth the area has seen in last 2-3 years.

It's high time we bring this issue to light and invoke necessary change. I ask our local government and Public Transport Victoria to address this pressing problem and increase the car parking spaces at Rockbank train station, thus ensuring the safety and convenience of all commuters. Sign this petition, stand up for our community, and help us make a safer melton council community.