THE Mitchell Shire Council has doubled down on its calls for Beveridge Station to be built, saying no party has committed to a promise two months out from the election.
Council is asking for $15 million for a design and preparation stage before a commitment to build, with Mayor Councillor John Dougall saying ‘a conversation isn’t a commitment’.
“Two months out from the election, not one party has committed to building Beveridge Station. That has to change,” he said.
“The community has done the heavy lifting. More than 1400 people have signed our petition calling for Beveridge Station. That’s more than 10 per cent of the suburb’s population.
“We’ve put the case to every MP and candidate who’ll listen and we’ll keep doing it right up to November 28. Conversations are welcome, but a conversation isn’t a commitment. Beveridge can’t afford to be overlooked for another four years.
“Our ask is clear. We’re calling for an initial $15 million to design and prepare the project for delivery, backed by a commitment to build the station in the next term of government.
“That’s a modest investment for a community growing this fast, particularly next to projects like the Suburban Rail Loop. It gets the design and planning underway, sets a clear pathway to construction and gives residents the certainty they’ve been asking for.
A letter published by the Mitchell Shire from a Beveridge resident, named Joahnna, outlined her plight, as well as others in Beveridge.
“My husband and I are both healthcare professionals working in the city, and we represent a rapidly growing demographic of working families in this suburb who are currently facing an unsustainable, stressful, and deeply flawed daily commute,” she wrote.
“Our public transport alternatives are severely inadequate. The closest metro station is in Craigieburn. While it is technically a 15-minute drive, bottleneck traffic along Donnybrook Road routinely doubles this commute to 30 minutes or more just to reach the platform.
“While the regional line passes nearby, the timetable is spaced too far apart. It completely fails to accommodate early starters or late finishers, making it useless for shift workers.
“Because my husband and I are both nurses, our shift patterns rarely align perfectly. When our start or finish times differ, one of us is occasionally forced to pay for expensive rideshare services to or from Craigieburn just to connect to the metro train network. Due to current petrol prices, tolls, and skyrocketing car expenses, maintaining a dual-car household is almost financially impossible for us. As a result, one of us must highly rely on public transport to get to work.”
Cr Dougall said investment in the west of the city needed to be repeated in the north.
“It’s great to see investment in Melbourne’s growing west. A brand-new station at West Tarneit and an upgraded Melton Station both opened this month, and a major upgrade of the Western Freeway has just been announced. That’s what it looks like when a growth area is made a priority,” he said.
“The north can’t keep being left off the list. Mitchell Shire is the fastest growing area in Victoria. Beveridge residents live alongside a rail line they can’t use, and for people doing shiftwork or without a second car, that’s a daily struggle, not an inconvenience.”
