By Jamie Salter
Pakenham-based Eastern Victoria MP Cathrine Burnett-Wake addressed the Legislative Council last week, calling for “transparency” on when the Pakenham East train station was first proposed.
In February 2021, Pinehill Drive residents were informed their homes would be acquired and demolished to make way for a new station.
Ms Burnett Wake claims a previous edition of the Pakenham East Precinct Structure Plan in 2013 showed plans for the Pakenham East station to be situated near Pinehill Drive.
“The 2013 document includes a map with bold lettering over my constituents’ properties that says, ‘Demolish these homes’,” Ms Burnett-Wake said.
“Seven years later, in December 2020, representatives from the Level Crossing Removal Project handed out pamphlets in Pakenham that showed the train station would be situated near Pinehill Drive on the back fence of my constituents’ properties.
“However, the representatives did not deliver these notices to the impacted residents of Pinehill Drive at the time.
“The 2013 document clearly shows the station was planned many, many years ago, yet my constituents were allowed to go ahead with their new home on the impacted area.
“Therefore the action that I seek is for the minister (Minister of Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan) to provide detailed information on exactly when the Pakenham East train station was first proposed.”
Level Crossing Rail Projects (LXRP) announced in December 2020 that as part of the Pakenham Level Crossing Removal Project the metropolitan train line would be extended 2km east, with construction of a new metropolitan station at East Pakenham, located between Deep Creek and the Princes Freeway.
Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said there were no plans prior to the announcement to build a new station in December 2020.
“We’re removing three dangerous and congested level crossings, building two new stations in Pakenham, and creating more than six MCGs’ worth of new open space for locals to enjoy,” she said.
“To cater for the growing community in East Pakenham, we’re also extending the rail line and building a brand-new station as part of the project to ease congestion along the rail line.”
She said if any plans were created in 2013 and not released to the public, questions should be addressed to the former Liberal Government who were in power at the time.
Level Crossing Removal Projects gave residents more than a year’s notice on land acquisition, longer than the legal requirement.
