Ms VAGHELA (Western Metropolitan): My adjournment matter is directed to the Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Minister for the Coordination of Transport: COVID-19 and Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, the Honourable Jacinta Allan, MP.
Major road and rail upgrades in Melbourne’s west are powering ahead, as construction starts on a new road bridge to remove a dangerous and congested level crossing in Werribee.
Due for completion in 2022, the project will slash travel times for drivers and build better, safer connections for pedestrians and cyclists. The area will also benefit from a new pedestrian underpass, landscaping and a shared-use path on the south side of the rail line.
The project will be delivered by an alliance of McConnell Dowell, Arup, Mott MacDonald and Metro Trains Melbourne, which has already removed three level crossings across Melbourne and is also currently building a new stabling yard at Wyndham Vale.
In another boost for commuters, a gravel area will be transformed to accommodate 130 new car parking spaces, with improved safety features like better lighting and CCTV, thanks to the Andrews Labor government’s Car Parks for Commuters Fund.
Werribee is also set to lose two more dangerous and congested level crossings, with the Old Geelong Road and Werribee Street crossings to be removed by 2022.
Meanwhile, work is progressing on the $1.8 billion western roads upgrade, set for completion in 2021, improving traffic flow across vital roads in Melbourne’s growing western suburbs to complement the rail works.
Early work has begun on the Duncans Road interchange to reduce congestion for the 11 000 drivers that pass through every day and improve access for people travelling from Geelong and the community in Werribee South.
Major resurfacing works are also currently underway along sections of Kororoit Creek Road in Altona and Ferguson Street in Williamstown, with some detours in place as crews lay new asphalt, fix potholes, build sealed shoulders and paint new line markings.
The residents of the Western Metropolitan Region are looking forward to the completion of these works.
The action I seek from the minister is to provide my office with an update on the progress of work at the other railway crossings in my electorate of Western Metropolitan Region.
Response:
Ms ALLAN (Bendigo East—Leader of the House, Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for the Coordination of Transport: COVID-19):
I thank the Member for Western Metropolitan for her question and continued advocacy for her electorate.
In our first term, the Andrews Labor Government got rid of 30 level crossings from the 50 we originally committed to—and have added another 25 to make it 75 to be removed by 2025.
With the huge works at Cheltenham and Mentone complete, and the handing back of the new Mentone station two weeks ahead of schedule, we have now removed 38 dangerous level crossings, passing the halfway mark in removing the total 75 crossings by 2025.
Across Melbourne’s West, we are consigning level crossings to history.
We already have removed level crossings at Buckley Street, Essendon; Main Road, St Albans; Melton Highway, Sydenham; Furlong Road, St Albans; Aviation Road, Laverton; and Kororoit Creek Road, Williamstown North.
The Level Crossing Removal Project is working now at Werribee Street, Werribee; Cherry Street, Werribee; and Old Geelong Road, Hoppers Crossing.
And, we are removing additional level crossings in Melbourne’s West at Ferguson Street, Williamstown; Robinson Road, Deer Park; and Fitzgerald Road, Ardeer which will be removed by 2022 and at Gap Road, Sunbury and Mt Derrimut Road, Deer Park to be removed by 2025.
I thank the Member again for her question.