More trains to Sunbury means fewer carparks, says Hume Council

MORE trains means business owners and commuters are in a battle daily to get one of 300 carparks in the Sunbury town centre.

Hume Mayor Adem Atamaca with Sunbury Square manager Marnie Harding are part of a campaign that calls on State Government to increase car parking for commuters at Sunbury Train Station

EXTRA peak hour trains to Sunbury will come at a cost to those trying to find a carpark in the town centre, Hume Mayor Adem Atmaca says.

Earlier this month, Sunbury state Labor MP Josh Bull confirmed the extension of two Metro Watergardens services to Sunbury, in part to alleviate concerns over a ban on Sunbury commuters boarding V/Line services to and from the city.

Cr Atmaca said while it was a win for commuters, the services would also acutely highlight the scarcity of all-day carparks in the town.

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“Latest figures show that 2.7 million passengers travel on the train between Sunbury and Keilor Plains stations each year, and patronage has grown by 25 per cent in the last two years alone,” he said.

“The population of Sunbury will almost double by 2036, and it’s vital to progressively increase space for carparking to support generations of young families,” he said.

He called on the State Government to help establish more parking in Sunbury, which would also benefit businesses.

HAVE YOUR SAY:How does the parking situation in Sunbury affect you? Tell us below.

“If commuters can park in new and dedicated bays which are an easy stroll from the station, local businesses will receive a boost as people walk past shopfronts in the morning and evening,” he said.

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Sunbury Business Association vice president and Sunbury Square centre manager Marnie Harding said shops were struggling with the scarcity of carparks.

“Business owners and commuters are in a battle daily to get one of 300 daily carparks in the Sunbury centre,” she said.

“Many business owners are having to regularly move cars and if they forget they are copping fines,” she said.

Ms Harding said some people were choosing to shop elsewhere as it was too hard to park in the town.

Hume Council has long identified carparking as one of its priorities.

A proposed 580-lot carpark at the corner of Station and Evans streets fell through in 2012 after Sunbury Central, Hume Council and the State Government failed to reach agreement after extensive negotiations.

When the $270 million Sunbury electrification project went ahead, 39 carparks were lost while 117 more carparks are leased by Public Transport Victoria.