Ms VAGHELA (Western Metropolitan) (23:06):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 was dangerous and congested. Over 18 000 vehicles per day stopped at this level crossing. Many emergency vehicles, patients and staff needed 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.
Reply;
Jacinta Allan MP(04 May 2022):
I thank the Member for Western Metropolitan Region for her question.
Sixty of Melbourne’s most dangerous and congested level crossings are officially gone for good, with a promise to remove 85 by the end of 2025.
Across the Western Metropolitan Region, level crossings have been removed at Kororoit Creek Road, Williamstown North on the Altona Loop; Buckley Street, Essendon, and Glenroy Road, Glenroy on the Craigieburn Line; Furlong Road, St Albans, Main Road, St Albans, and Melton Highway, Sydenham on the Sunbury Line; Aviation Road, Laverton; Cherry Street, Werribee, Old Geelong Road, Hoppers Crossing, and Werribee Street, Werribee on the Werribee Line; and Ferguson Street, Williamstown on the Williamstown Line.
Construction is happening at Fitzgerald Road, Ardeer and Robinsons Road, Deer Park on the Geelong/Ballarat Line; and Gap Road, Sunbury on the Sunbury Line.
Planning is underway at Mt Derrimut Road, Deer Park on the Geelong/Ballarat Line and Calder Park Drive, Calder Park, and Holden Road, Calder Park on the Sunbury Line.