By NICOLE VALICEK
IT IS anticipated $530,000 spent on works to upgrade the North Williamstown commuter car park will be finished by Friday – weather permitted.
Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder visited the station works with Member for Western Metropolitan Region Andrew Elsbury last Thursday.
Mr Mulder said the project has revitalised and reshaped the commuter car park and station entrance.
The upgrade of the existing station car park and on-street parking will mean 50 extra spaces for commuters to park at, or near the station.
The works include upgrading the existing unmarked asphalt car parking area and construction of additional on-street spaces.
The station car park redesign also includes a disable parking space, short-term parking, taxi bay and a ‘park and ride’ bay.
“The investments that’s been made here, $530,000 is certainly going to make this station precinct safer, it’s more secure and basically it improves the entire amenity of the area,” Mr Mulder said.
The upgrade also includes caballing for the future provision of CCTV cameras to be installed at the station that will be a part of stage two of the project.
Workers are currently putting the final touches on the project with line marking on the new parking bays and construction of the pedestrian footpaths and lighting expected to be finished by Friday.
Mr Mulder said the upgrade will build on the works the government is doing as part of what is being called the Railway Station Enhancement Projects.
As part of the project the government has leveraged the land that is owned by VicTrack to improve the amenity and create activity around the railway station.
“Land on Power St no longer needed for transport uses was sold to the Department of Human Services for a future aged care site,” Mr Mulder said.
“So visiting a station like this at night, good lighting, protective service officers patrolling the area and new aged care facility alongside it will make this entire precinct far more user friendly.”