Two notorious level crossings in Wyndham will be removed and the city’s roads upgraded if the Labor Party wins next year’s state election.
Opposition leader Daniel Andrews yesterday released his Melbourne transport plan, which includes the removal of the 50 worst level crossings within eight years and a $2 billion investment in outer suburban and regional roads.
Mr Andrews has pledged to build a metro rail tunnel to increase capacity on the city loop, remove 5000 trucks a day from the West Gate Bridge and widen the Tullamarine Freeway to six lanes.
He said Labor would pay for the projects by selling the Port of Melbourne.
In Wyndham, the Werribee and Cherry street level crossings would be removed.
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The Cherry Street crossing is considered the 11th-worst in Melbourne by the RACV and was voted by train drivers as one of Melbourne’s 10 worst crossings earlier this year.
In May last year, the crossing was the site of three accidents in 13 days, including a fatality. A Truganina woman, 65, died after a freight train struck a car in which she was a passenger. Police said the car had become stuck on the tracks when a car in front of it broke down.
Opposition roads spokesman Luke Donnellan said removing level crossings would improve safety and travel times and allow more train services to run during peak times. “The congestion caused by boom gates being down at level crossings creates major traffic delays and costs businesses millions in travel time,” he said.
At least $1 billion would be spent over eight years to improve roads in interface communities, including Wyndham.
In August, Auditor-General John Doyle found that between $975 million and $1.3 billion was needed to duplicate and upgrade Wyndham’s roads, with close to $5 billion needed for all Melbourne’s growth areas.
Premier Denis Napthine said Labor’s proposal was a “slap in the face” to the people of the western suburbs and would cause gridlock and chaos.
