By LAURA WAKELY
CAROLINE Springs is the third fastest growing suburb in Australia but will remain without a train station despite its population of more than 20,000 residents.
The ABS revealed new growth figures last week that Caroline Springs had grown by 395 per cent since 2001, the third fastest in Australia behind South Morang (38,900) and Point Cook (33,400).
But despite its position in one of Australia’s fastest growth corridors, the suburb will remain without a station.
The first sod was turned in October 2010 for preliminary work, but Transport Minister Terry Mulder shelved the plans in early 2011.
If the work had continued, the station was scheduled to open this year.
Mr Mulder said new railway stations built under the previous Labor Government did not include electrical substations to power trains for departure and the need to fix this was the reason for stopping works at Caroline Springs.
“Caroline Springs station’s design work has been completed. The Coalition Government is now considering building the station,” Mr Mulder said.
But for resident Joy Cox, who has lived in the suburb for 12 years, the transport issues in Caroline Springs are past the point of consideration.
Ms Cox said a train station was long overdue, with residents forced to drive in to crowded stations at Watergardens, Deer Park, Sunshine or even Albion, or take a combination of bus, tram and train to commute to the city.
Ms Cox said the area was also in need of more bus services to help take the pressure off the roads, which she said were becoming more congested every day.
“The Government gives you all these promises and they give you nothing,” Ms Cox said.
“It’s because we’re in the West.”
Kororoit MP Marlene Kairouz has been campaigning for work to continue on the station but could not be reached for comment last week.
Gorton MP Brendan O’Connor said the Gillard Government was providing funding to help plan for a railway station in the newly planned suburb, Toolern, which is west of Diggers Rest, and he said the Baillieu Government’s refusal to fund the Caroline Springs train station was “hugely disappointing”.
He said he would work with local state MPs to apply “maximum pressure on the Baillieu Government” for the project.
“This is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia and local residents deserve nothing less than access to safe and viable public transport options,” Mr O’Connor said.
