Car parking at Williams Landing station is chock-a-block and the state government needs to expand its capacity, according to Wyndham councillor .
Cr Larry Zhao said the current car park is unable to handle the volume of commuters it receives. especially in the morning.
“Oh my goodness, every single morning you can see so many people here competing for the spots,” Cr Zhao said.
“After 7.30am it is really hard to find a car park anywhere around this area and by 8am it is pretty much full.
“Some of them [commuters] can’t get a park and have to find another car park close by.”
According to Cr Zhao, part of the problem stems from the station accommodating neighbouring suburbs with large populations and no station of their own.
“Because it is not only for Williams Landing residents, but people living around the area like in Point Cook and Truganina,” he said.
He said the current situation forces commuters to park in residential streets and the nearby shopping centre.
Due to the scarcity of parking spaces, many people have to rely on carpooling or lifts to the station, Cr Zhao said.
Building up or below the ground may be a solution, according to Cr Zhao.
“It [capacity] could be doubled by adding a second storey or trying an underground car park, but that would depend on the costs and everything associated.
“There are solutions–we just need to discuss which way is the best.”
A Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson said the department is continuing to asses the situation.
“We will continue to monitor patronage growth and travel patterns to determine future upgrades on our public transport network,” the spokesperson said.
Star Weekly understands that the state government has increased car parking at nearby Aircraft Station and expanded the local bus network to address the issue.
