Media Reponse Oakleigh Train Station works

Questions & Responses

The government/LXRA last week announced an upgrade for Oakleigh train station.
The transport interchange was something that council campaigned for before the state election last year.

What does council make of the proposed work?

Council welcomes these improvements to the station, especially for pedestrian accessibility with a renewed underpass, two lifts and redesigned ramps, helping people get where they need to go safely and effectively.  

Is it enough?

We are really satisfied with the plans and how works will proceed but also would like an additional shared path underpass. We look forward to the finished works that will benefit commuters and add to the enhancement of Oakleigh.

Paul Klisaris said last year that council wanted "an attractive, safe pedestrian environment around a reinvigorated public transport hub" as well as the flow of buses - has this been met at all?

The work has only just begun but from the look of the plans and from our discussions with LXRP we are supportive of these works, which will finish in late 2020.  These works are separate to Council’s precinct plan improvements, which is what Cr Klisaris was referring to. The works by LXRP are around Disability Discrimination Act compliance to improve accessibility.

What more needs to be done?

The community expects public areas to be universally accessible, in particular when there is an investment in new infrastructure. Projects such as this represent rare opportunities to improve our public realm for all people. We’d like to see a new separate shared-use path underpass, to the east of the station, and we will proactively advocate to the State Government to consider this as part of its LXRP Oakleigh Station upgrade project.    

Issued: 29 August 2019
To: Monash Leader
Quoting: Mayor, Councillor Shane McCluskey