Tuesday, 28 May 2024

Eastfield Road–Railway Avenue, Ringwood East

Nick McGOWAN (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (20:55): (911) My adjournment debate matter is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and specifically what I ask the minister to do in this particular case is to provide an urgent allocation of funding to make safe a very important intersection in my electorate in Ringwood. It is an area that many locals will be familiar with, and that is Eastfield Road and Railway Avenue. This has been complicated in recent times because we have the Level Crossing Removal Project at Dublin Road. Those familiar with the Level Crossing Removal Project will know that as you head due east, where you intersect with the Eastfield Road bridge it is a T-intersection. At the best of times it is a dangerous T-intersection. With the recent closure of one lane along Railway Avenue, it has become even more complicated, even more congested and, dare I say it, even more unsafe. Even today I was on the phone here in Parliament speaking with local residents in their homes in Ringwood and Ringwood East. They have noted, seen and even filmed not only the cars that are coming in and out of Railway Avenue and Eastfield Road but also numerous children, because there are a number of schools in this area and they have had to cross at or around that intersection. It is a very dangerous intersection.

This problem predates the Level Crossing Removal Project, so in this case it is not a matter for the minister for the level crossing project, it is for the minister for roads. It has been there way too long – for very many years – and it is high time that this government gives it the attention it deserves before a serious incident occurs there either with a vehicle or with a pedestrian. We all know that when we look at the road toll as it currently stands year on year the averages are not great. We want to make sure that we are doing everything possible to identify these locations where works are needed and where they are urgent. The locals know that that is the case. I have seen it for myself. It is appropriate that this government step in as quickly as possible.

You cannot simply leave it to the council. Maroondah council, like so many councils, are overwhelmed with the expectations that we all have of them, because it is at the very same time that this government are depriving them of much-needed funds and are also obviously offsetting their costs – that is, the state government’s costs – onto local council. Councils are increasingly being asked to do more with less. The math simply does not add up. For those locals in Maroondah in particular, they cannot look to the council alone. This is something that absolutely warrants state government intervention. I urge the minister to act with haste and to act with the degree of urgency that is deserved for an intersection that is unsafe and absolutely warrants every cent that we can afford to improve not only the vehicle access and the traffic flow but, most importantly of all, pedestrian and road safety.