A level crossing that will be used by just a few trains a day from April is on the state government’s hit-list of 50 to be removed, ahead of other far busier crossings destined to languish in a state of chronic congestion.
The Werribee Street level crossing is one of 50 the Andrews government has promised to remove in eight years, but will become one of the quietest for train traffic in all of Melbourne with the expected opening in April of the regional rail link.
Currently traversed mostly by V/Line trains running between Geelong and Melbourne, the crossing will soon see just a handful of freight trains each day, plus the four-times-weekly Melbourne-Adelaide train.
“There are certainly plenty of other crossings that are more significant in terms of the benefits that you’d get from grade separating, so removing a crossing that after April will have very few trains running through it is obviously not a priority,” Mr Bowen said.
A few kilometres east of Werribee Street, at Hoppers Crossings railway station, is the Old Geelong Road level crossing, a constant source of delay for vehicles getting on and off the West Gate Freeway.
It is not on Labor’s list, despite being crossed by nine Metro trains in peak hour, with that figure expected to grow following the opening of the $4.3 billion regional rail link.
Mr Bowen said Old Geelong Road would be a “prime candidate” for removal ahead of Werribee Street.
“It’s quite common to see ambulances stuck at that crossing trying to get across.
”Once people know that after April there will be virtually no trains using Werribee Street, I think most people will see that there is a benefit to doing an alternative nearby crossing instead.”
The Werribee Street level crossing was ranked the eighth most dangerous in the state on a list produced by the Transport Department in 2008. The list was one of the documents the government used to create its hit-list of 50. The Old Geelong Road crossing was ranked 19th on the 2008 list, but did not make Labor’s priority list.
Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said Werribee Street would stay on Labor’s list.
“Werribee Street level crossing is a nightmare, in the middle of a horrendous spaghetti junction at Werribee and Cottrell Streets.
“Even once Geelong line services move onto the new alignment, freight and interstate services will continue to thunder through the crossing, keeping boom gates down, creating traffic chaos and continuing to pose a risk to the community,” she said.
“This problem will not go away until the level crossing is removed once and for all.”
A spokeswoman for Public Transport Victoria said the stretch of railway crossing Werribee Street would remain active after the regional rail link opens.
“With the Wyndham area rapidly growing, there will continue to be a need for safety measures where cars and trains intersect, regardless of whether these are passenger or freight trains,” the spokeswoman said.
“The Werribee Street level crossing is located in a busy area near schools and community facilities, and removing the level crossing will increase safety.”
This story first appeared in The Age
