Sunbury carpark plan has traders worried

LACK of detail and increased congestion are concerning Sunbury traders following the announcement a 300-space carpark would be built near the train station.

The Sunbury station carpark.

• New 300-space carpark for Sunbury station
• New limits to stop commuters parking in streets
• Call for Hume Council to pay for multistorey carpark

LACK of detail and increased congestion are concerning Sunbury traders following the announcement a 300-space carpark would be built near the train station.

As reported last week in the Leader, Sunbury state Labor MP Josh Bull announced the new carpark, but a site and form for the project was still to be determined and subject to a planning process.

Sunbury’s complex web of land titles in the town centre has long stymied potential new parking projects. A 2010 multi-storey carpark proposal over the existing Harris Scarfe parking space involving Hume Council, the State Government and private investment fell over close to finalisation.

Sunbury Business Association president Michael Osborne said the lack of detail in the latest plan was frustrating.

“Is it a new parking centre or is there to be some type of reallocation?” he said. “We are still waiting for collaboration among the various authorities — there has been too much finger pointing.”

Mr Osborne said the uncosted commuter parking plan offered no obvious benefit for traders.

“Congestion is Sunbury’s biggest problem and while commuters might be getting more spaces, the perception of a gridlocked town centre could also grow,” he said.

Sunbury councillor Jack Medcraft said he doubted an easy solution was available to the government. “I can’t see where they are going to put it — the devil’s in the detail,” he said.

Cr Medcraft said a long-planned South Sunbury station foreshadowed as part of two precinct structure plans could potentially be the site of new parking infrastructure if the current pledge turned up no town centre solution.

Sunbury Residents Association president Peter Free said he hoped the extra carpark provision would provide benefits to shopkeepers and retailers. “We are happy as an association as we have long advocated for more carparks,” he said. “It’s a start.”