Oak Flats Progress Society member Bob Jago is pleased new car parking spaces will be built at the town's railway station and says if it's going to be built in June, they should "get on with it". Picture: DAVID HALL
THE construction of car parking spaces at Oak Flats Train Station has sparked a war of words between two Illawarra MPs.
Since the 2011 opening of the new Lake Illawarra Local Area Command headquarters, located adjacent to the train station, residents have complained of a shortage of spaces because many police mployees used the commuter car park.
Last May, Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian announced that a new $5.7 million, 230-space car park at Oak Flats would be built on the northern side of the station.
Last week, Labor Member for Shellharbour, Anna Watson, attacked the state government, claiming they had indicated that the construction of the new car parking spaces will commence in the middle of the year, but couldn't reveal the project's cost.
"I am concerned that the minister cannot provide me with the estimated cost of the extra spaces and I fear another delay will be the result," she said.
Ms Watson also claimed a series of substantial delays to infrastructure projects in her electorate by the government, including an alleged 12-month delay to constructing the Flinders Station, a six-month delay in releasing the $100,000 Albion Park Rail Bypass Study and delays in releasing the final Illawarra Regional Action Plan.
Liberal member for Kiama Gareth Ward slammed Ms Watson for "blatantly misleading" the public.
"This is a bit of an own goal by Anna Watson," he said.
"Labor never provided car parking for the Lake Illawarra Command.
"The timeline and budget outlined at the time are both being met.
"Even though it's not in my electorate, I have residents in my electorate who use it."
Mr Ward said Ms Watson's comments became "even more comical" when blasting the government on Shell Cove/Flinders Station and the bypass.
"Not a single sod of soil was turned on this project during their remaining 10 years in office.
"As for the Albion Park bypass, I achieved more in 16 months than Labor did in 16 years, with funds for a scoping study announced last year."
Oak Flats Progress Society member Bob Jago called on MPs to avoid the political point-scoring.
"If they're going to start in June, just get on with it," he said.