Gerald Lynch
The community and council of the north continue to urge for upgrades to ‘dangerous’ Broadmeadows station underpass.
Hume mayor Joseph Haweil said he had a terrifying run in of his own while going through the underpass, where he was shoved up against the wall, causing him to drop his phone and be left in a state of shock.
“Luckily I wasn’t hurt, but my experiences are probably like that of very many others who come through this station. It’s not the best,” he said.
“The dark underpass doesn’t lend to a good user experience. The station is well in need of redevelopment.”
Calls for the Victorian Big Build fund to assist in providing a safer travel option for Broadmeadows residents has been sent out by Mr Haweil and he continues to remain hopeful for change in the not too distant future, however residents are getting tired of waiting.
“They’ve been going to update the station for years!” said local Susan Sammut.
“It just continues to deteriorate as each year passes and there is nothing being done about it,” she said.
Craigieburn local Jean Beriki also holds disdain towards the underpass, labelling it “dangerous, dark, and dirty. It’s a yucky spot, always has been.”
Hume council hold firm that the station doesn’t require a huge fix, and little improvements would make a big difference as to people’s safety and comfort while commuting through Broadmeadows station.
A spokesperson from the Department of Transport and planning says that the safety of everyone who uses public transport is always top priority, and that CCTV cameras installed in the underpass are helping to keep the station safe.
“We delivered works in 2020 to upgrade Broadmeadows Station including a redesigned waiting area, better signage and information displays and improved CCTV and lighting across the station.
“Broadmeadows is the gateway to Melbourne’s north and locals deserve a station that is modern and accessible,” they said.
Broadmeadows station is set to become a Superhub through the Suburban Rail Loop project.
It will become one of the first train stations in Melbourne that will have trains departing in four different directions providing commuters with direct connections to employment and educational destinations across Melbourne, so residents being able to feel safe when passing through is essential.
