Tuesday, 16 November 2021

Western Metropolitan Region level crossing removals

Ms VAGHELA (Western Metropolitan) (23:06): (1633) My adjournment matter is directed to the Honourable Jacinta Allan, the Minister for Transport Infrastructure and Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop. This adjournment matter relates to the portfolio responsibilities of transport infrastructure. The Andrews Labor government is getting rid of another dangerous and congested level crossing in the west. The Old Geelong Road level crossing in Hoppers Crossing will be gone on 9 December. The new road bridge over the rail line will connect the Old Geelong Road directly to the Princes Highway. This level crossing is dangerous and congested. Over 18 000 vehicles per day stop at this level crossing. Many emergency vehicles, patients and staff need to wait in traffic congestion at this crossing on their way to the Werribee Mercy Hospital. On a usual day the boom gates are down for over one-third of the time during the morning peak, when up to 25 trains run through the crossings.

Three level crossings on the Werribee line, three on the Sunbury line, one in Essendon and one in Williamstown have already been removed in the west. The government has smashed its target of 50 level crossings by the end of this year. We plan to get rid of 85 level crossings across Melbourne by 2025, with 47 already gone. The action I seek from the minister is to provide me with an update on the progress of all level crossing removal projects in Western Metropolitan Region.