Off the rails

By Bridget Cook
Cranbourne resident Katherine Bickham started a job as a security guard in December last year and parked her car at the station overnight while she caught the train to and from work.
On 15 January, she returned to the Cranbourne station in the morning to find her car vandalised. It was later declared a write-off.
“The side panels had been kicked in, the windows all smashed and the roof caved in like they had used it as a trampoline,” she said.
Ms Bickham said she thought she had done what she could to help avoid such an incident.
“I parked my car right near the front platform entrance and the bus stop, in plain view,” she said.
“It was parked next to the railways employees’ parks.
“What gets me most is how security cameras, the local houses or the security on guard didn’t see or hear anything. It can’t be a quiet job to smash up a car and use the roof as a trampoline.”
Last week, the News reported how happy Cranbourne resident Arnold March was about the car parking available at the railway station, after 400 extra spaces were added in 2009.
But Ms Bickham said while there had been improvements in terms of car parking, more could be done.
“Cranbourne Station might be a winner during the week in daylight hours but extremely lacking on the weekends and after dark,” she said.
“I strongly feel there is more room for improvement for this station.”
Ms Bickham said the incident had caused her great inconvenience.
“I was without a car for three weeks, before I got enough money together to buy a new one,” she said. “I was covered by insurance, but there is always out of pocket expenses involved.
“My mother also requires a wheelchair, so she had to get a taxi around during that time.”
As a result, Ms Bickham now drives to work every night.
“That is costing me a hell of a lot more than what it cost me to catch the train,” she said.
“But I can’t afford to be without a car again.”