Beverly Hills Station Commuter Car Park

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-98168

Hansard session: Fifty-Sixth Parliament, First Session (56-1)

Beverly Hills Station Commuter Car Park

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (17:32:00):

Earlier this year, I spoke in this Chamber of my strong desire to see a commuter car park built at Beverly Hills station. This afternoon I am pleased to inform the House that this will be delivered in the 2017-18 New South Wales budget. Beverly Hills is located in my electorate as well as the electorates of Lakemba and Kogarah. It is a vibrant and busy district with great restaurants, family owned businesses and a real sense of community. But for too long, commuters, local business owners and residents have suffered from a lack of available parking. This Government recognises this problem and is delivering a much‑needed commuter car park for Beverly Hills.

For a long time I have campaigned for a commuter car park at Beverly Hills station. This car park will ease parking pressure along King Georges Road, take cars off residential streets and make access to public transport easier for commuters using Beverly Hills railway station. I was further convinced of the need for a commuter car park after many residents and local business owners contacted my office about the issue. After I launched an online campaign and held several community meetings, I am now looking forward to working with the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, the Georges River Council and the Australian Government, through a Federal member of Parliament, David Colman, to deliver this project for commuters using Beverly Hills station.

Having represented the Oatley electorate for more than six years, I have visited local businesses along King Georges Road and on surrounding streets and recognised the overwhelming support from the community for the building of a commuter car park. A multistorey car park will serve commuters and provide parking for commercial purposes, and Beverly Hills will undoubtedly grow as a business hub as a result. Over the years, my office has fielded a large number of complaints from Beverly Hills residents and local business owners about the lack of parking. I believe that congested local roads and a lack of parking have deterred people from using public transport. A commuter car park at Beverly Hills will boost the number of people accessing and catching the train.

The St George area is a great place in which to live and work. Close proximity to the city, a world‑class hospital rebuilt by this Government, fantastic schools boosted by Gonski funding that this Government signed up to and great transport links explain why the population continues to grow. Local residents are hardworking and ambitious people. They want to get to work and they want to grow their businesses. The Berejiklian Government supports this and recognises that there simply has not been enough commuter parking in busy areas such as Beverly Hills to accommodate local demand. The building of a commuter car park at Beverly Hills will make it easier for local residents to park on their street, for customers to visit local businesses and for commuters to access public transport.

On becoming the elected member for Oatley, I promised that this Government would upgrade Oatley and Narwee stations in my electorate. We have done just that. Oatley station now has 100 new car parking spaces, up from just 17, and this has assisted people to access public transport. Now Beverly Hills station will get the same sort of investment from this Government and the Federal Government, with the help of the Georges River Council and Transport for NSW. Major accessibility upgrades are underway at Narwee station, under budget and ahead of schedule. Soon commuters will benefit from a new lift, covered walkways, easier parking as well as accessible and family friendly toilets.

Because this Government has managed the books, paid down the debt left by Labor and delivered a surplus, we are able to build and pay for important infrastructure projects, such as a commuter car park at local railway stations. By doing so, we are making it easier for people to access public transport and to travel safely between home and work. On behalf of local residents and business owners, I want to thank the Premier, the Treasurer and the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure for having the vision and capacity to deliver a commuter car park at Beverly Hills station.