Rat-infested Broadmeadows station slammed as a disgrace

IT’S rat infested, smells and full of rubbish that hasn’t been picked up for years, now officials say this train station is a major embarrassment that has to be fixed.

Hume councillors Jack Medcraft, Jodi Jackson and Naim Kurt among the rubbish and a dumped car at Broadmeadows train station. Picture: Kylie Else

TO OFFICIALS it’s the Broadmeadows train station but locals call it the “bubblegum station”, because of the amount of chewing gum lining the platforms and seats.

Hume councillor Naim Kurt said the state of the station was a disgrace and littered with rubbish that hadn’t been picked up for years.

RELATED: Commuters rate Melbourne’s best and worst train stations

“There’s a pair of shoes over the fence which have been left there untouched for over seven years,” he said.

“The Broadmeadows train station is supposed to be the gateway to our city and the airport but when people are visiting they are being greeted with seven-year-old rubbish. It’s not good enough.”

HAVE YOUR SAY: Is this our dirtiest train station? Tell us below

He said in 2009 the then Labor Government promised funds to redevelop the station but the proposed upgrade was scratched by the incoming Liberal Government in 2010.

Rubbish is everywhere at the station. Picture: Kylie Else

“The State Government is talking about putting an extra 20,000 people in the Broadmeadows area but where is the infrastructure and brand new railway station to match that?” he said.

The station presented a poor image for visitors, according to Cr Jodi Jackson.

“For people who use the airport bus and our Metro train network, it’s the first town they set foot in when they enter Victoria or even Australia,” she said.

“Our station precinct is deplorable; it stinks and looks like a tip — I don’t think it’s fit for locals, let alone our interstate and international visitors.”

Cr Jack Medcraft said there were food scraps around the station, sidings and car park that attracted “resident rats”.

“Rats are attracted by food scraps and you can see them running freely around the railway siding and in the car park; you can watch them dancing,” he said.

Rubbish is strewn around Broadmeadows train station. Picture: Kylie Else

“The station with its rubbish makes Broadmeadows the laughing stock of Victoria; it’s not an image that we want to present to visitors and it’s not something that locals can take pride in.”

Metro Trains which controls the station also had concerns, according to spokesman Marcus Williams.

“We share community concern for rubbish and maintain a comprehensive cleaning schedule for Broadmeadows station,” he said.

“We will reach out to council to discuss ways we can work together to tackle litter in and around the station precinct.”

He said Metro Trains already had a “comprehensive” cleaning schedule for the station, including daily cleaning at the station and monthly litter removal from the station precinct, including the car park and monthly gardening and weeding.