Popular places for a car park.
Cameron (epa.epacoh@mesmtpse.ericsson.se)
Fri, 03 Apr 1998 09:44:13 +1100
n.mueller@ugrad.unimelb.edu.au wrote:
>
> Michael Walker wrote:
>
> > >How about building bigger car parks at stations in the inner suburbs.
> > >For example Clifton Hill (CH) is serviced by the Epping & Hurstbridge
> > >lines. If Park Safe built a large car park within a two minute walk of
> > >the station and if an extra service terminating at CH ( turnaround on a
> > >new siding or at Rushall or Westgarth ) was added, it would make
> > >travelling to the city more economical. The carpark would hopefully
> > >cost much less than the city ones and the petrol and time saved would
> > >make it a possibility.
> > >
> > Victoria Park would be the ideal place rather than Clifton Hill as Clifton
> > Hill short of ripping out the park across the road from the Down platform
> > has nowhere for a car park. Whereas Vic. Park has the old goods yard where
> > quite a large car park could be built. It could even feed off the freeway
> > meaning a 20 minute car trip to the city could change to a 5 minute train
> > ride. Not to mention the freeway traffic jam adding to the time. I believe a
> > Vic. Park multi storey car park was suggested some years back under the
> > Labour Govt but I am not sure if and when it was canned.
> >
> > In fairness many large car parks have been built at stations when the
> > opportunity has arisen, eg Watsonia, Greensborough, Eltham, Heidelberg,
> > Ivanhoe... and best of all they are free!
>
> Mitcham has the biggest car park of about 750+ spaces. It almost always gets
> full. This station is only two stations away from Zone 3. So a Zone 1+2
> ticket, express trains every 2-3 minutes makes this a very well used station.
>
> Then there is Hearthdale only 2 km away with 450+ spaces, same tickets, trains
> etc.
>
> Both stations had their car parks extended within the last 1-2 years.
>
> Chris Gordon
> cmgord@ecr.mu.oz.au
> http://www.ecr.mu.oz.au/~cmgord
If only there were more stations like Mitcham.
Yes Watsonia is large and is practically filled every day.
If several stations of the _inner suburbs_ had larger and safer parking
facilities with ample trains to accommodate the demand it would be just
like Mitcham - only Zone 1 and therefore cheaper.
The large multi level on the old goods site at Vic Park is a great idea,
it even has a stabling facility there.
The problem with large car parks, even ground only ones, is the great
escape. Every one tries to leave through the one exit eg.Watsonia.
For Vic Park, there should be two controlled entries and many out ramps.
Even tunnelling under the line at the north end of the platform for
another access.
Are there any other inner city cark park proposals? One or two per main
line should do it.
Being positive, the benefits would be - creation of jobs( Building,
maintenance, local shops), increased rail patronage, less pollution(car
emissions), better returns for the buyers of the public transport
network breakup.
As for what the negatives are.....well I'm sure there are one or two,
but I carn't think of any right now. Maybe you can.
BFN
Cameron.