The Andrews Labor Government is building more than 3,000 extra commuter car parks across Victoria to make it quicker and easier for people to drive to the station and catch the train.

Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan joined Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas at Gisborne Station, where work to build 40 new spaces is now underway.

The upgrade will also install CCTV, bright lighting and better drainage to improve safety and comfort for local passengers.

Gisborne Station is the first of 17 that will be upgraded through the Labor Government’s $20 million Station Car Park Upgrades Program, which will deliver more than 2,100 spaces at suburban and regional stations across Victoria.

In addition, almost 1,000 spaces will be delivered through the $22 million Road and Rail Minor Works Program, which will upgrade car parks at Castlemaine, Woodend, Clarkefield, Macedon, Kangaroo Flat, Wendouree, Marshall, South Geelong and Warrnambool stations.

The start of works at Gisborne follows the introduction of 10 extra services on the Bendigo line as part of a new V/Line timetable, which added 80 new regional services across Victoria.

These additional services build on the two new peak services delivered last year with the start of Bendigo Metro.

The Gisborne Station car park upgrade will be complete by the end of July. Work at all 17 sites to be upgraded through the Station Car Park Upgrades Program will be underway by July and finished by the end of the year.

The Road and Rail Minor Works Program is currently out to market. The start of car park upgrades through this program will be determined through the tender process, but all are expected to  be delivered by the end of 2018.

For more information, visit www.victrack.com.au/carparkupgrades.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan

“We’re building new car parks at busy stations across Victoria, to make it easier for people to catch the train.”

“These extra spaces will make a real difference for local passengers – reducing the daily scramble to get a park and get the train.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas

“It’s great to see work start here at Gisborne Station – the first of 5 local, and 25 state-wide station car parks that will be expanded and upgraded by the Andrews Labor Government.”

“Our upgrades will deliver 500 spaces at stations across the Macedon electorate and more than 3,000 across the state – making it quicker and easier to drive to the station and catch the train.”