Hundreds more car spots at Macedon Ranges stations

HUNDREDS of new carparking spaces will be ready at three Macedon Ranges train stations by the end of next year.

Macedon station will get 110 new car spots. Picture: Sarah Matray

HUNDREDS of new carparking spaces will be ready at Macedon Ranges train stations by the end of next year.

Macedon state Labor MP Mary-Anne Thomas last week announced 110 new car spaces would be built at Macedon station and 50 at Clarkefield.

The Clarkefield spaces will be added on a dirt paddock next to the station, which commuters already park on, while works at Macedon will formalise existing areas on the eastern side and create new spots on a small area nearby.

A further 200 spaces will be sealed and marked at Woodend station.

“These new spaces will reduce the daily scramble to get a park and make it quicker, easier and safer to drive to the station and catch the train,” Ms Thomas said.

“We’re delivering the day-to-day upgrades that will make a real difference for people across the Macedon Ranges — better connecting them to work, education and each other.”

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RELATED: 100 new spaces at Kyneton station

Macedon Ranges Residents Association secretary Christine Pruneau said the group welcomed the government’s investment.

But she said they wanted extra landscaping in the carparks to maintain the area’s character and avoid “huge expanses of bitumen”.

Woodend commuter Michael Gavaghan said the announcement was “definitely welcome news” as he’d had to park on the street for the first time in four years last week.

“I’ve had to catch it at all different times ... but there have always been parks left on the grass,” he said.

“I believe more parking will need to be added in the future”.

Clarkefield’s Steve Rodwell, who lives next to the station, said there needed to be at least 100 more carparks to cope with demand.

“There’s cars everywhere to the point they are parking in Station St, in front of the hotel, wherever they can get a park,” he said.

“The day they put 50 in, they will be completely full the next day.”

Mr Rodwell said a redevelopment of the station and its surrounds would be more beneficial.

The works will start later this year and be completed by late 2018 as part of the State Government’s $22.5-million Road and Rail Minor Works Program.

The announcement follows a previous commitment from the State Government of 40 new spaces in Gisborne station and 100 at Kyneton.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan with Mary-Anne Thomas at Clarkefield station last week.