Edmondson Park parking plans in early stages, but Labor MP wants urgent answers
Urgent answers are being sought on whether 700 new parking spaces will be delivered at Edmondson Park station by 2020, where commuters are feeling the squeeze.
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Holsworthy state Liberal MP Melanie Gibbons has stood by the time frame promised for the delivery of more parking at Edmondson Park train station.
The NSW Government promised 700 new spaces at the southwest Sydney station by next year to address the shortage of commuter parking, which has led drivers to risk fines and park illegally.
Earlier this year, Ms Gibbons said there were plans for a multistorey car park and the existing car park will also be reconfigured to provide more spaces.
Macquarie Fields state Labor MP Anoulack Chanthivong said he sought urgent answers from Transport Minister Andrew Constance last month on when the 700 new spaces will be delivered.
He said Ms Gibbons had promised construction would start this year, yet construction money was not allocated in the budget.
A Transport for NSW spokeswoman told the Leader the project was in the early stages of planning.
Ms Gibbons said the time frame for the project’s delivery remained the same.
“I still expect additional parking spaces to be completed by around mid-2020, subject to planning approval and community consultation.
“Planning and site assessment work is underway, with geotechnical studies and survey work expected to start by late November.”
Ms Gibbons said she was “disappointed” by local Labor politicians who “have been spreading fear in the local community over this project”.
But Mr Chanthivong said there were “more unanswered questions than solutions” from the government.
“My office is inundated with complaints from commuters who have been fined at Edmondson Park train station. It is a diabolic situation and I appreciate commuters’ frustrations given the circumstances.
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“I wrote to the NSW Minister for Transport on September 5, 2019 requesting that the parking restrictions around Edmondson Park Station be reviewed, with the view of creating more parking spaces where it is safe to do so. To date, I have not received a response to my letter.”
A total of 240 fines have been issued by transport officers since January 1, 2017 to drivers who parked illegally at Edmondson Park train station, according to Transport for NSW.