MORE PARKING FOR WATERGARDENS COMMUTERS

This petition is for all to sign who think Public Transport Victoria (PTV) should provide more long term car parking spaces for Watergardens Train Station. Watergardens Town Center (owned by Queensland Investment Corporation) has made the decision to implement changes to the Town Centres Car Park from 27 June 2016 from full day parking to 4 hour timed zones. Hundreds of train commuters have been using the Watergardens Town Centre's car park since its beginning in 1997.

The strategic replacement (and renaming) of the the then regional Sydenham railway station to be part of the Watergardens Town Centre has brought the shopping precinct increased business and is an integral part of the shopping precinct. It has also brought the convenience of public transport to employees of the shopping centre.

Watergardens Town Centre now sees fit to impose its new 4 hour time restrictions, and hundreds of full day commuters driving cars to the station to get to work or school have been displaced as they no longer know where to park their cars. Some have resorted to parking in front of Aged Care Facilities, in neighbourhood streets and around kindergartens, which has put stress on the community and traffic around Sydenham.  This has caught local media attention.

Due to the changes community members have had to rearrange their timetables in order to catch a bus to the station. This has resulted in many adding at least 1.5 hours to their already busy day, and some parents have reduced work hours and reorganised work schedules to drop off and pick up children.  Unfortunately the bus service does not co-ordinate its schedule with the train schedule. This inadequate bus service operates at 40 minute intervals while trains runs at 7 minute intervals during peak hours. Others have been pushed onto an already congested road system.

PTV have provided 682 sealed spaces and 550 pot-holed, unmarked gravel spaces for commuters.  This is clearly inadequate.

In a response to people's concerns PTV have responded that they have provided more spaces at Watergardens station than most other stations across Melbourne. However what PTV fail to acknowledge is that Watergardens is a major hub and one of Melbourne's fastest growing communities.

Worth mentioning also is that while works are being carried out at both St Albans and Ginifer, additional commuters are travelling by car to Watergardens putting a further strain on an already problematic parking situation. What they also fail to acknowledge is their apparent inability or unwillingness to negotiate the use of large areas of unused land around Watergardens. PTV, in conjunction with Brimbank Council, should also give serious consideration to the expansion of the western side of 362 Sydenham Road, thus providing additional parking for another 200 to250 cars.

The community and Ms Hutchins (Member of Parliament) have been asking for a parking solution for over a year even with the then Watergardens full time parking. This parking situation has now gotten worse with new parking restrictions. We believe these parking restrictions have been badly thought through by Watergardens Town Centre.

We as a community want PVT to come together with Watergardens Town Centre and Brimbank Council and other authorities to provide a long term solution to the parking problem!