ALTONAMeadows residents living near Laverton railway station are facing even longer delays in getting out of their driveways because of work to improve parking at the station.
Some are waiting up to five minutes to find a break in the traffic.
VicRoads started work on the station parking project earlier this month and parking and traffic problems have grown worse as a result.
The work involves extending the station car park and providing an extra 250 spaces. It also includes building a roundabout at the intersection of Railway Ave and High St, as the entrance to the car park.
Residents are now calling for a solution to the worsening traffic snarls.
One resident, Rita Camilleri, is fed up with the situation and is calling for better parking to be included while the works are on.
“I’ve been here 29 years, and its been a problem since then,” she said.
Ms Camilleri lives close to the Railway Ave and High St intersection, opposite Laverton station and each member of the family has a car.
Reversing out of her driveway has always been a problem because of the high traffic flow but now Ms Camilleri said she is waiting up to five minutes to leave her home.
She said her family and friends can’t access the driveway, and have to park a long distance down the street.
She said a petition was sent to Hobsons Bay City Council five years ago but nothing was done.
Ms Camilleri believes the solution is scalloped parking in the nature strips – similar to that along Merton St in Altona Meadows.
But parking in the nature strips along Railway Ave is not on council’s capital works agenda.
“I pay my rates like everyone else, I can’t see why they can’t do it,” Ms Camillieri said.
What makes it all the more frustrating for Ms Camilleri is that council allocated funds in the 2006-07 and 2007-08 capital works budgets to resurface Railway Ave when the roundabout is finished.
But Ms Camilleri said it would be a significant saving to include the scalloped parking in this set of roadworks, rather than years down the track.
Hobsons Bay Community First convener Tony Briffa also supports this idea.
“Although I am pleased VicRoads is finally doing something about the parking problems at Laverton station, I am disappointed council have not used these roadworks as an opportunity to remedy some long term parking problems for neighbouring residents,” he said.
He said even after the works are complete, there would be no relief for residents like Ms Camilleri, who would still be unable to park outside their homes or access their drives.
“Residents have had problems parking outside their homes for years due to their proximity to the railway station and the freeway, so it’s time the problems are finally fixed.”
A council spokesperson said an officer would visit the site and look at ways to improve the situation for residents while works continue.
Work at the station area should be complete by February next year .
