By Alesha Capone
A Manor Lakes man says residential streets near the Wyndham Vale train station are being subjected to “parking chaos”.
Chakri Chayanam said train commuters were parking their vehicles in nearby streets, including Eureka Drive and Field Street, once carparks at the station filled up on weekday mornings.
He said the streets were also clogged by parents dropping off children at school.
Mr Chayanam said there are no parking restrictions in the streets, so commuters and parents were not breaking the law, but the increased traffic had resulted in “parking chaos” for residents.
He said residents not only had to deal with the traffic congestion, but some feared their own cars would be scratched or damaged as a result. He said he knew of one accident – when a car hit a vehicle parked in Eureka Drive last month.
Mr Chayanam also said someone had been “vandalising” cars parked in residential streets. He claimed car tyres were being slashed, forcing owners to pay “hefty bills” to replace the tyres.
A state government spokesperson said that the government had last year promised to deliver 1600 new and upgraded carparks at Wyndham Vale, Werribee, Watergardens and Tarneit stations.
“It’s all part of our plan to make it easier for passengers to find a carpark and free up local streets,” the spokesperson said.
However, a timeline for the construction of the new carparks has not been released.
Wyndham council’s director of city operations, Stephen Thorpe, said the council was “working towards an alternative short-term solution” to parking problems in Manor Lakes, near the train station.
“Wyndham City acknowledges that parking at local railway stations is currently at capacity, limiting the number of people who can use public transport to travel to and from work, and adding to congestion on local roads,” he said.
“We are constantly advocating for more parking at our local train stations. This was a key priority in our pre-budget submission to the federal government ahead of this year’s budget.
“We’re also calling for the fast-tracking of a new train station at Sayers Road, and funding for two new train stations at Black Forest Road and Davis Road.
“These three new stations will help to alleviate the pressures experienced across the network.”
