Still no answers on timeline for Coopers Plains level crossing

The Federal Government has announced it will commit $73 million to upgrading one of southeast Queensland’s most dangerous level railway crossings — but nobody can say when it will be fixed.

Moreton MP Graham Perrett has grilled the deputy Prime Minister over the Coopers Plains level railway crossing and when work will begin.

THE Federal Government has committed $73 million to a dangerous black spot at Coopers Plains, but southside residents are still no closer to knowing when it will be fixed.

During Question Time on Tuesday, ALP Federal Member for Moreton Graham Perrett put deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack on the spot about when work would begin on the Boundary Rd level crossing.

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“When will work start on removing the dangerous level crossing on Boundary Street in Coopers Plain in Moreton?” he asked.

Federal ALP Member for Moreton Graham Perrett MP at the Coopers Plains level railway crossing.

But Mr McCormack sidestepped the question, instead using his response time to spruik the Federal Government’s tax cuts, and upgrades to the Pacific and Ipswich motorways.

Mr Perrett lashed out at the deputy Prime Minister for dodging the question.

“This is a dangerous level crossing in my electorate. This has nothing to do with infrastructure already built or out on the edge of my electorate,” Mr Perrett said.

The crossing has been a source of frustration for motorists, residents and businesses for decades and was one of six open level crossings in Greater Brisbane that was labelled as a “high priority” in a 2012 engineering report.

In April, the Federal Government announced the crossing would be removed as part of a $226.25 million Coalition scheme to slash commuting times.

Yesterday, a spokesman for the deputy Prime Minister said $73 million of this congesting-bust fund would be put towards the crossing.

The overpass is estimated to cost $200 million and the State Government and Brisbane City Council will need to come to the party with the additional funds.

“The Department of Infrastructure is working with the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council on the delivery of this project,” a spokesman for Mr McCormack said.

Last year, the Queensland Government invested $800,000 last year for a business case to determine if an overpass is the best solution for the crossing.

The study is expected to be completed by the end of the year.