An artist’s digital impression of the new Nicholson St footbridge in Footscray, which will be built as part of the Regional Rail Link upgrade.
By Alesha Capone
SURVEILLANCE cameras could be installed in the notorious Ashley St underpass at Tottenham Railway Station, as part of the Regional Rail Link project.
Last week, the construction manager of the Footscray to Deer Park section of RRL construction, Adam Maguire, said the Regional Rail Link Authority was considering fitting out the underpass with CCTV cameras and better lighting as part of a Tottenham station “facelift”.
In August this year, a survey of public transport users rated Tottenham as Melbourne’s worst train station, with the underpass labelled “scary, dark and dingy” and “a horrible, dirty, wet tunnel”.
Mr Maguire said the RRL project could also include more CCTV cameras being installed at Footscray station, but he ruled out locating a police kiosk at the site.
“We certainly do need to increase the number of CCTVs for station areas, pedestrian areas and the forecourt,” he said.
The RRL project, which has been funded by the State and Federal Governments, will build a new rail line running from West Werribee to Deer Park, and on existing lines through Sunshine and Footscray to Southern Cross Station.
An upgrade proposed for Footscray station suggests constructing new escalators and ramps to the footbridge and to all platforms from the entrances at Irving St and Hyde St, subject to heritage approval.
The Nicholson St bridge and its buildings will be demolished and replaced by a footbridge with a three-metre wide footpath, which will include a “throw-screen” fence.
Mr Maguire said this would help “prevent people getting onto the rail line or throwing things onto the rail line”.
The RRL project will also include removing the existing Irving St car park near Footscray station, and relocating 166 car parks at the new West Footscray station.
However, Footscray Traders Association president Grant Miles said this made was “absurd and ridiculous”, considering the RRL was set to double patronage at the station.
