Thursday, 1 June 2023

 Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (16:11): (284) My adjournment is also to the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and the action I seek is for the minister to supply in writing to all the local businesses that are being subjected to what can only be called huge inconveniences of parking, congestion, safety and productivity losses due to this government’s insistence on removing the level crossing on Progress Street in Dandenong information on the following three measures: (1) safety solutions for trucks that will have to pass each other on the narrow hump bridge to Fowler Road; (2) safety measures and solutions implemented so these trucks can enter the South Gippsland Highway without putting themselves or others at risk; and (3) a commitment in writing to the long-term solution of a bypass extension.

I would like to refer, first of all, to the Big Build that has been advertised for the area. They have advertised this level crossing removal on their internet site:

We’re removing the level crossing –

it says proudly –

at Progress Street, Dandenong South –

I might add this is a level crossing that none of the businesses want removed –

and building a new road bridge connecting Progress Street and Fowler Road.

This road, however, is going to be too narrow for these trucks, and they are going to have to wait for each other or play chicken as they go across this bridge. It says:

The new road bridge will provide businesses in this busy industrial precinct with safer access to the Princes Highway via South Gippsland Highway.

This is simply not the case. There is nothing at present put in place to make it a safer option. At the moment they have traffic lights. At the moment they have a level crossing that is not near a station, so the trains go past very quickly. They are quite happy to wait for 30 seconds so that they can be on their wide streets and be able to get through to the Princes Highway. This diversion to Fowler Road is going to mean that they are going to have to go around all the parked traffic through a narrow road where there are other businesses that will also be inconvenienced and then risk their lives and the lives of other drivers as they try to cross over the South Gippsland Highway. And why? It is just so that this government can tick a box and say, ‘We removed a level crossing.’

I am telling you this is simply not good enough, and the businesses that are there do not feel it is good enough either. This is a fundamental failure of this government to genuinely consult with people and come up with solutions. There are 50,000 vehicle movements a week in this area, and trucks cannot pass each other on the hump bridge. The government has not provided any solution, even though they are aware of the issue, so I ask the minister to bring this in writing.