By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
CASEY drivers are the big winners in the State Budget, with major traffic congestion funding injections and upgrades to train station car parking.
The Victorian Budget, announced on Wednesday 27 April, has delivered more than $20 million to expand station car parks in the outer-suburbs of Melbourne.
This investment includes up to 50 extra spaces at Hallam Station and 110 at the notoriously full Berwick Station.
Lyndhurst and Lynbrook residents are set to be reconnected with a $40 million investment to duplicate 1.2 kilometres of Hallam Road between Ormond Road and the South Gippsland Highway.
The level crossing at Evans Road will be re-opened after it was closed in 2005 due to safety concerns, with the intersection of South Gippsland Highway, Hallam Road and Evans Road receiving a major upgrade.
A huge funding boost has been given to duplicate Thompsons Road between South Gippsland Highway and Marriott Boulevard.
On top of the $79.4 million funding to remove the level crossing at Merinda Park railway station the State Government has provided a whopping $154.5 million to upgrade Thompsons Road.
Two lanes will be built in each direction on Thompsons Road and the existing roundabout at the Western Port Highway intersection will be replaced with traffic lights, which is expected to reduce travel delays by 10 minutes.
Cracking down on public safety concerns surrounding the young Apex gang, who have terrorised the Casey community for nine months, the budget has delivered a $596 million Public Safety Package.
The investment includes funding for 300 frontline police who will be deployed across Victoria and 30 new officers and two support personnel who will join the anti-gang and illicit trafficking teams.
Cranbourne Secondary College has also come out on top with $9 million to upgrade their ageing facilities.
Berwick’s Kambrya College has also taken a $3 million chunk out of the State Budget to build a multi-purpose facility to cater for rising student numbers.
And Casey Mayor Sam Aziz has received a major win with a cash injection of $300,000 for graffiti removal works along the Monash Freeway.
Casey Hospital patients have also benefited from the State Budget with an elective surgery funding boost.
The hospital is being funded for a new high-acuity unit for severely ill patients as well as getting a share of a state-wide $335 million injection for elective surgeries and capital works over four years.
The government states the funding for new beds, theatres and equipment will help nearly 200,000 Victorians get elective surgery faster.
