Elsie Lange
Kyneton, Gisborne and Riddells Creek stations will receive new and upgraded car parks, the state government has announced.
Ace Infrastructure has been awarded the contract to construct the 200 car spots, which the government said would be covered by CCTV and lighting, as well as including additional accessible car spaces and the installation of 35 new bicycle hoops.
Gisborne Station will have one hundred car spaces upgraded, including four accessible spaces, and Kyneton and Riddells Creek stations will receive 50 new spaces each, with one accessible space at Kyneton and three at Riddells Creek.
Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas said the new car parking at the stations will help more people in the Macedon Ranges access public transport and get around safely.
“The extra car parking supports the improvements to rail services, and the new lighting and CCTV will increase safety at and around the station,” Ms Thomas said.
Through the Engage Victoria platform, the community was invited to provide feedback on concept designs for the three station car parks, which will be taken into account in further planning works and inform final designs.
The upgraded car parks are being delivered by VicTrack through the government’s Car Parks for Commuters program, which aims to make it easier to catch the train.
Ace Infrastructure has constructed car parks at several locations including Sandown Park, Hurstbridge and Castlemaine, and delivered previous car park upgrades at Gisborne and Kyneton stations.
Residents commented on a Facebook post about the new parks in a local Gisborne community group, with one saying even though the parking situation at the station wasn’t currently difficult, it was pre-pandemic.
“Nice to see they’re trying to get on top of it before it gets that bad again,” the resident said.
Another resident said they thought the parking announcement was good because Gisborne was a growing area.
“It needs to cater for the increase in vehicles,” they said.
