Gosford and Woy Woy commuter carparks: Scathing reports reveals cost blow outs

A local Liberal MP has assured the coast that Gosford and Woy Woy commuter carparks are progressing, despite a scathing report into the national commuter carpark program.

The future of Gosford and Woy Woy commuter carparks have come under fire after a scathing report revealed floors and budget blowouts in the National Commuter Car Park program.

The report, by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO), has stated that a failure to carry out effective assessments for the Federal Government program had caused massive budget blowouts and other issues.

Woy Woy carpark was highlighted with the ANAO funding a that the budget had blown out by a whopping 434 per cent. According to the report, this means each individual car space will now cost $211,429.

Costs for the commuter carpark at Woy Woy have blown out to $211,000 per space, according to the ANAO report. Picture: Troy Snook

Central Coast Labor Senator Deborah O’Neill said the report findings were “truly shocking”, revealing ineligible projects, failings in the site selection process and only two carparks out of 47 completed.

She criticised Robertson federal Liberal MP Lucy Wicks, saying she did not do the “hard work to make sure the car parks that she promised and that Coasties desperately need actually get delivered”.

Ms O’Neill said there was now a “real chance commuters on the coast will be left behind”.

Gosford state Labor MP Liesl Tesch said the Woy Woy commuter carpark could become the most expensive carpark in Australia, however there remained no signs of construction starting.

Ms Wicks has hit back, saying the government was committed to delivering both Gosford and Woy Woy commuters carparks which were funded in the 2019/20 federal budget to the tune of $35m.

Senator Deborah O'Neill has labelled the report “shocking”.

Robertson federal Liberal MP Lucy Wicks said she remained committed to the deliver of the carparks. Picture: Annika Enderborg

Central Coast Council has pulled out of its role in delivering the Gosford commuter carpark due to its financial crisis, with Transport for NSW taking on the long-awaited project.

“I thank Transport for NSW for agreeing to progress the Gosford commuter car park,” Ms Wicks said.

“They are currently conducting a Rapid Viability Assessment of the possible sites and I will have more to say on this shortly.

“The concept design commuter car park at Woy Woy is expected to be finalised by early July 2021, after which we will have a more realistic idea of construction time frames.”

The ANAO report stated that the $660m commuter carpark program was a component of the Urban Congestion Fund with 47 project sites identified. The report found that none of the projects were identified by the Department of Infrastructure, with 87 per cent of funded projects being in Coalition-held or targeted seats.

Locals have been screaming out for more commuter carparks for years. Picture: Troy Snook

“The Department of Infrastructure’s administration of the commuter car park projects within the Urban Congestion Fund was not effective,” the report stated.

“The department’s approach to identifying and selecting commuter car park projects for funding commitment was not appropriate. It was not designed to be open or transparent. The department did not engage with state governments and councils, which increased the risk that selected projects would not deliver the desired outcomes at the expected cost to the Australian Government.”

The report also found that by March 31 2021, construction had been completed on just two of the 47 sites named in the project.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gosford Station commuter car park was full by 7am most days. Picture: Troy Snook

“By this date, the department had paid $76.5 million of program funding relating to 28 sites,” the report revealed.

“The department has not had sufficiently strong controls in place to establish, for each approved project, clear delivery timelines and links between payments and milestones.”

Ms Wicks said would continue to push for construction of the Woy Woy and Gosford carparks.

“Despite the challenges of lockdown and the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a desperate need for more parking for Central Coast commuters,” she said.

“In relation to the ANAO’s report, the Australian Government has acknowledged the report, and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications has accepted all six of the ANAO’s recommendations.”