Kyneton station access
Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (18:11): (1818) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Transport Infrastructure. The action that I seek is for the minister to instruct VicTrack and V/Line to make land available to the Macedon Ranges Shire Council to build a shared path for pedestrians and cyclists from South Kyneton to the Kyneton train station. Kyneton is a lovely town in the Macedon Ranges shire, with history and heritage, river walks and the gorgeous botanic gardens. It is also a growing town, popular with those looking to enjoy a country lifestyle while also being on the train line and able to commute to Melbourne for work. In particular, South Kyneton is growing, with new housing developments popping up south of the Campaspe River. Council anticipates almost a thousand new dwellings in the development zones of South Kyneton. Unfortunately, there is not yet adequate transport infrastructure to support the residents in those growing suburbs. There is a lack of bus services, and the town needs a new road crossing over the Campaspe River at Edgecombe Street. My adjournment today, however, concerns the lack of safe routes for residents in the area who want to walk or cycle to the train station. There is at present no footpath, shared path or safe road crossing connecting the South Kyneton area to the station. Many consider getting to the station to be dangerous and a disaster waiting to happen. Locals are running an online petition calling for a 1.5-metre-wide footpath that will provide access to the station from South Kyneton, and it has gained hundreds of signatures. Others have suggested a 2.5-metre shared path that would service both pedestrians and cyclists would be better to service the region.
In its strategic Kyneton Movement Network Plan (2024–2033), Macedon Ranges Shire Council states that developing cycling and walking routes to connect residents to the railway station is a high priority. Further, council has identified that as the population grows and V/Line patronage increases, this will put pressure on the available car parking spaces at the station. That makes bus, cycling and walking connections to the station even more important. South Kyneton is growing, and the Victorian government needs to act now to ensure that the built infrastructure that will enable active transport and connection is in place ahead of the future growth. A housing developer in the area joined the push for progress on this project, saying that the issue of a footpath has been unresolved for a decade. Part of the difficulty has been negotiating access to VicTrack land in order to build the footpath. A council officer has been reported as saying that council has appealed to VicTrack and V/Line to unlock the parcel of land for the proposed pedestrian path but without success. I am now calling on the Minister for Transport Infrastructure to take action on this matter and instruct VicTrack and V/Line to do everything possible to provide council with access to the land for a shared path, since it is crucial for providing connection to the station for the growing number of South Kyneton residents.