A University of Melbourne study has recommended removing the Hoppers Crossing train station level crossing.
A total 150 second-year bachelor of design students conducted more than 1400 surveys and spent 70 hours performing headcounts and observing how people used the Werribee city centre, Hoppers Crossing town centre, Point Cook Town Centre and Pacific Werribee.
Three of the students presented their findings to Wyndham council last week.
University of Melbourne urban planning professor Carolyn Whitzman said the research aimed to support Wyndham council policy around activity centres.
“There were recommendations around Hoppers Crossing station which is really disastrous in terms of street life … there’s quite a few high school students who go from Suzanne Cory [High School] to the station and quite a few people who go from Werribee Mercy Hospital to the station,” Professor Whitzman said.
“If it’s going to be a serious national employment centre then it has to deal with its really dire issues around walkability and cyclability. Level crossing removal really needs to come to Hoppers Crossing, that’s the bottom line.”
Professor Whitzman said the students were also interested in how to translate the success of projects such as the Point Cook pop-up park – which had lots of community engagement and ownership by a wide number of organisations – to the Werribee city centre.
Transport connectivity between buses and train stations was also a key concern.
“This goes slightly beyond what local government can do other than its advocacy function, [but] the connections between trains and buses are really poor,” Professor Whitzman said.
Wyndham council mayor Peter Maynard said the detailed research had “garnered some excellent insight into how accessible, inclusive and livable” Wyndham activity hubs were.
The students designed posters detailing their findings and recommendations, which are currently on display at the Wyndham civic centre.
