Article: Boom gates to be tested on train station car park

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Boom gates to be tested on train station car park

Boom gates to be tested on train station car park

21 July 2008

BOOM gates will be trialled at a Melbourne train station car park to improve safety and stop non-commuters parking, a Government backbencher says.

And the new myki smartcard  will be needed to activate the boom gates.

At the last election, the Government said it would not charge for car parking at train stations.

But Labor MP Bob Stensholt has told a constituent the Government will soon introduce "a more comprehensive solution" to stop non-commuters parking at station car parks.

"It would involve installing boom gates at exits involving a swipe card," Mr Stensholt wrote in an email to Mark Louttit, a commuter who parks at Camberwell station.

Mr Louttit has campaigned for several years to ensure the car park is only used by train commuters.

"When the new transport card (myki) is introduced, a station car park will be selected to trial the use of boom gates," Mr Stensholt wrote.

"Camberwell is well in the mix in the selection of the trial site."

Mr Stensholt was overseas last week and could not be reached for further comment.

But a spokesman for Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said there was no current plan to introduce boom gates at Camberwell station, or anywhere else on the network.

A Government document obtained by Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder in 2005 showed there was previously a plan to introduce boom gates at inner-city train stations.

This was dropped in the lead-up to the 2006 state election.

Mr Mulder said the email from Mr Stensholt showed Labor had gone back to the plan. "In 2006, Labor denied it had this plan, and claimed the Liberal Party was running a scare campaign," Mr Mulder said. "But Labor loves the idea of taxing motorists parking at stations."

Connex ticket inspectors have this month been given the powers to hand out fines for cars parked illegally at train stations.

Most suburban train station car parks are now full by 7.30am, while many quiet streets around stations are clogged with cars, as the sharp rise in rail use puts more strain on public transport infrastructure.

The problem was exacerbated by the Government's introduction in April of an early bird deal providing free weekday travel on metropolitan lines, if commuters complete their journey by 7am.

The Age also reported this month that petrol siphoning from cars parked at suburban train stations had prompted the state's biggest council to demand the State Government install security cameras and better lighting at train station car parks.

One commuter at Berwick station reported having petrol stolen from his car twice in a month, and having his numberplates stolen and used in a drive-off petrol theft from a service station.

In another development, public transport commuters could be slugged millions of dollars extra in fares when the myki ticketing system is introduced simply for forgetting to validate their ticket when exiting trams and trains.

Brisbane's commuters have learnt the hard way, paying up to $1 million extra in the past five months after failing to "touch off" (swipe) their electronic smartcards. Eight per cent of travellers forgot to swipe.

Backbencher says Camberwell may be the first station trialled.

Car park boom gates would be operated with myki cards.

Transport Minister Kosky's spokesman denies the plan.