Alliance calls for station solutions

AS November’s State election approaches, representatives of public transport and accessibility groups are lobbying local candidates for improvements to Ballarat train station.

Members of the Ballarat Station Alliance have written letters to the Wendouree electorate’s candidates; current Labor member Juliana Addison, and the Liberal Party’s Samantha McIntosh.

Issues raised include the station’s general maintenance, all-abilities accessibility, delayed heritage works, and adjacent bus services.

Save Our Station Ballarat president Gerald Jenzen said now is the time to advocate.

“Nothing has happened at this station for a long period of time. We’ve got an election coming up and Commonwealth Games coming shortly as well,” he said.

“This seems like an opportunity to raise these issues and bring them to the forefront again which we hope will lead to some election promises.

“This is a heritage building so there needs to be approvals. We’re not talking about tomorrow for this. It’s going to take some time.”

Alongside Save Our Station, representatives of organisations Grampians DisAbility Advocacy and the Public Transport Users Association make up the alliance.

The Ballarat train line was upgraded in 2021 as part of the State Government’s $4 billion Regional Rail Revival project, with the station excluded from the works.

Convenor of PTUA Ballarat Ben Lever said the pressure is on, with the Commonwealth Games coming to the city in 2026.

“We’ve seen with the 2006 Commonwealth Games, there was significant changes made to the train network in Victoria and Ballarat’s bus network. A lot of those remained as legacies afterwards,” he said.

“It’s going to be a huge transport task to get people to these venues. With the volume of people, if they want to make the Games a success, they have to do something to help this station.”

Once the Greens candidate for the seat of Wendouree is announced, members from the Ballarat Station Alliance will aim to write a letter to them.