Article: Caroline Springs station in limbo

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From the Melbourne Age click here!

Caroline Springs station in limbo

Caroline Springs station in limbo
Jason Dowling
February 1, 2012

THE future of a much needed train station in Melbourne's booming western growth corridor remains in limbo with Premier Ted Baillieu refusing to name a date when the planned Caroline Springs station would be delivered - despite the government building a new road to the station site.

Quizzed on ABC local radio about when the Baillieu government would deliver the station, Mr Baillieu said: ''I will have to check on the date, but Caroline Springs obviously there are commitments there, and the timing of that I would have to double check on that.''

When questioned late yesterday, the Baillieu government revealed there was no date for the construction of the station.
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Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder said ''the previous Labor government failed to allow for sufficient new or upgraded electrical substations for new stations planned as part of its growth area railway station program''.

''Prior to proceeding substantially further with a new railway station at Caroline Springs, the Coalition government is fixing this in relation to the new Cardinia Road [near Pakenham] and Lynbrook [near Cranbourne] stations that will open in 2012.''

But Melton Council mayor Justin Mammarella said the council wanted a commitment from the government.

He said it was essential the station was funded in the coming financial year ''to alleviate the chronic shortage of public transport available to one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia''.

''It is incomprehensible that the Victorian government has failed to recognise the urgent need our community has in terms of effective public transport options,'' he said.

Opposition public transport spokeswoman Fiona Richardson said ''the only thing that the Liberals have delivered at Caroline Springs station is a road to nowhere''.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/caroline-springs-station-in-limbo-20120131-1qrc7.html