No toilet relief in sight

Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan and commuter Kushan Nawagamuwage are still calling on the government to build public toilets at Hallam train station. 119618 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

By LACHLAN MOORHEAD

REGULAR users of Hallam train station who are angry with the lack of public toilets at the site have still been given no indication by the State Government as to whether they will be relieved of the problem.
Commuters have been campaigning to have public toilets built at the station for more than three years after the current government dumped plans in 2011 to upgrade Hallam station to premium status, which means the station would get public toilets.
No funding to upgrade Hallam station to premium status was announced in Tuesday’s State Budget.
Kushan Nawagamuwage, a Hallam resident who uses the station three times a week, said toilets at the station were long overdue.
Everyone in the surrounding suburbs also use the station so they feel pretty neglected right now and they know it’s been campaigned for a while, it’s disappointing,” he said.
“It’s quite a busy station, and having no toilets there is an inconvenience, you’d expect paying customers to be treated with a full service.”
Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan said it appeared like toilet facilities were being built for PSOs at Hallam station while the call for public toilets was still being ignored.
“Funding for a premium upgrade to Hallam station was provided by the previous State Labor Government, but the Liberals stripped the funding once they came into office,” he said.
“They have rejected countless calls from Hallam commuters who want public toilets at the station and the upgrade to go ahead.”
State Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder did not respond to questions from the News before deadline.