Thumbs up for parking – for now

By Callan Date
COMMUTERS using Hallam train station have given the thumbs up to a $3 million station revamp but say still more needs to be done.
The State Government last week announced an extra 200 car park spaces would be built at the station with funds from the 2007-08 budget.
But public transport users want Hallam to be upgraded to a premium station that is staffed from first to last train each day.
Local resident Paul Bradley said the large number of people moving into the area clearly justified an upgrade for the Hallam station.
“The need for major public transport improvements in the City of Casey is massive,” Mr Bradley said.
“I read that about 80 per cent of Casey’s residents commute outside the municipality to work and a large number of these people would use public transport,” he said.
Train operator Connex recently said the Pakenham line, which takes in Hallam train station, had experienced some of the most dramatic patronage growth on any line throughout Melbourne.
Mr Bradley said the extra car parks were an encouraging start but more still needed to be done.
“I don’t think it is enough, just with the sheer amount of people getting on the train each day.
“Hallam is a classic example of a station that was built a long time ago when the population was a lot smaller,” he said.
Both Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan and Narre Warren South MP Judith Graley said they were excited to see the $3 million get allocated to Hallam train station.
Construction is set to start on the extra car park spaces towards the end of this year.