Craigieburn commuters have been hit with fines of more than
$33,000 in the past financial year for parking outside proper bays in
the train station car park.
Metro Trains’ officers fined 238 commuters $33,160, placing the
Craigieburn station car park among the top 10 revenue earners in the
metropolitan train network.
Train travellers in neighbouring Whittlesea share the woes, with
inadequate station parking forcing commuters to park in the Westfield
Plenty Valley shopping centre and face fines.
Transport Department data shows that the Craigieburn station,
which has 267 car spaces, blitzed the nine other stations with commuter
parking on the Craigieburn and South Morang lines for the number of
people fined.
Doreen businesswoman Nicole Lewis said the figures did not reflect
the frustration of commuters forced to park outside the station car
parks.
She was recently fined $70 for parking over the four-hour limit in
Westfield Plenty Valley shopping centre opposite South Morang’s
450-space commuter car park.
“I arrived at 9.13am and there was nowhere to park in the station
car park. [There were] cars parked on concrete sections between parking
places and often halfway onto the roadway … between the aisles,’’ she
said.
“So, unless you drive to the bus stop, take a bus to the train, or
take a taxi from home to the train, or get a lift, it is not possible
for residents who live beyond walking distance from South Morang
station, to travel by train after 7am.”
Figures show Metro officers issued one $85 fine in the past
financial year at the South Morang station car park. In Keon Park, 20
people were fined a total of $1351, Thomastown had 10 people fined $962
in total, and in Lalor five people had fines totalling $197. At
Roxburgh Park 34 people were fined $1856 in total, while at
Broadmeadows 10 people were fined $1072 in total. One $141 fine was
issued at Coolaroo.
