Ballarat’s Save Our Station (S0S) group is calling on the state government to scrap plans for a multi-million dollar hotel and convention centre at city’s railway precinct and build a state-of-the-art bus terminal for commuters.
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The group of six residents are floating an alternative plan for the Ballarat Railway Precinct in a last ditch attempt to implore the government to place greater significance on improving public transport.
They are pushing for precinct to be revamped into a bustling transport hub which would include a bus terminal inside the derelict bluestone Goods Shed, scrapping plans to convert it a four-and-a-half-star, 77-room Quest hotel.
With the help of experts, including a civil engineer, they have canvassed an alternative plan which they believe can be achieved with the $25 million already set aside in the state government’s budget for the site.
Group member John Barnes said the government’s proposal failed to cater for the future public transport needs of the city.
“As we grow beyond the 160,000 population predicted by 2040, and as congestion and parking costs become impediments to bringing cars into the centre of town we need to be prepared for a significant and sudden shift toward public transport patronage,” he said.
Mr Barnes said connecting the Goods Shed to the train station via a pedestrian tunnel was the first infrastructure investment needed to transform the precinct into a transport hub.
Fellow group member Hedley Thomson also proposed a portion of land was sold along Nolan Street to pave the way for terraced accommodation.
It mirrored a 2002 Master Plan for the precinct by Daryl Jackson Pty Ltd architects, commissioned by VicTrack which canvassed 42 apartments. However, Victorian minister for regional development Jaala Pulford said the station precinct had been long underutilised.
"The Goods Shed is in disrepair, and the economic opportunities of the site have been untapped," she said."The redevelopment will boost visitors to the region, create investment, employment and new business opportunities."
The government said temporary arrangements for public transport on Lydiard Street will continue until a new bus interchange is built as part of a future stage of the railway precinct.
Ballarat’s Public Transport User’s Association branch says the government has failed to meet the needs of commuters in its $44 million railway precinct plan.
PTUA Ballarat branch convener Ben Lever said he personally attended multiple state government consultation meetings regarding the multi-million dollar project where the need for a bus interchange and improvements to pedestrian and disability access were raised.
“The latest version of the plan doesn’t include any of what was discussed during the consultation meetings,” he said.
“We’re disappointed because first and foremost, we believe the must be a public transport hub, that’s what is what the land has been set aside for.
“We’re not fundamentally opposed to good development at the site, but the first priority must be to activate it as a transport hub. At the moment there is really nothing included plans to improve transport for commuters."
His words come as Ballarat’s Save Our Station (SOS) group unveil a plan which calls for the historic Good Shed to be converted into a bus terminal.
The group are also proposing a covered pedestrian and cycle walkway, onsite bike and motorbike shelter, pedestrian tunnel and the use of shipping containers for cafes and exhibition space.
Preliminary plans for the site detail realigning the Nolan Street boundary of the area to allow for a slip lane which would assist westbound traffic to pass unhampered by vehicles going in and out of a long-term car park.
Mr Lever said had seen the Save Our Station’s alternative model had merit.
He said a major downfall of the government’s plan was that it failed to consider a viable public transport system which would allow people to get from their homes to the train station.
“As Ballarat grows, road will become far more congested and we’re not going to be able to just rely on cars to get to the station,” he said.
“There needs to be a central way of getting to the station via public transport for commuters.”
Bus travellers will also have to wait for an upgrade to Ballarat's coach infrastructure after the government said it would not be including a new terminal in the development.
SOS group member Gerlad Jenzen said the government’s proposal made no provision for any traffic management works.
“Our proposal is to realign the Nolan Street boundary, allowing a slip lane along the side,” he said.
“This would allow westbound traffic to pass unhampered by vehicles going in and out of the long-term car park.
“A central median could also stop cars from right turns into the car park.”
What is the Save Our Station group proposing?
- Converting the historic bluestone Goods Shed into a bus terminal instead of a hotel and convention centre.
- A sealed ground level car park with 490 spaces compared to the state government’s proposed 270 sealed multi-storey car park.
- Boosting long-term car parking at the site to 563 car parks compared to the state government’s proposal of 320 spaces.
- Realigning the Nolan Street boundary of the site to allow for a slip lane which would assist westbound traffic to pass unhampered by vehicles going in and out of the long-term car park.
- Improving disability access
- Selling a portion of land along Nolan Street for terraced accommodation
- The precinct’s existing shared pedestrian path would be diverted further east up the embankment and directly through to the station transport hub.
For details visit the Save Our Station- SOS Ballarat Facebook page
Melissa Cunningham
City of Ballarat and Social Affairs Reporter
City of Ballarat and Social Affairs Reporter
