Anger over last-minute cancellation of Spotswood Festival due to safety concerns

Spotswood Festival organisers have accused Metro Trains of sabotaging their event but the rail network operator claims they were “unable to reach a resolution”.

Tens of thousands of dollars has been “pissed up the wall” after a community festival in Melbourne’s inner west was cancelled over a last-minute safety stoush with Metro Trains.

Organisers of the Spotswood Festival have accused the rail network operator of sabotaging Saturday’s event after Metro Trains said the festival wasn’t safe enough less than 24 hours before it was scheduled to take place.

But officials have claimed they were seeking a solution up until it was cancelled.

The Hudson Rd music festival was set to feature over 20 performers and dozens of stalls.

It had received $45,000 in funding from Hobson Bay City Council and the West Gate Tunnel Project, which financially supports communities impacted by the construction of the four kilometre toll road.

Festival organiser Rosa Mckenna said Hobson Bay City Council told her at 4pm on Friday the event couldn’t go ahead because Metro Trains said the proposed safety measures were insufficient.

The council had sought approval from Metro Trains as a railway line runs across part of the road where the festival was taking place.

Organisers say they proposed to build temporary fencing along the line and have volunteers with traffic management experience supervise the train routes.

“This was not safe enough for Metro Trains,” Ms Mckenna claims.

“They said if the council issued the permit for the festival they would close the railway line down and we would have to compensate them to cover the closure of Spotswood Station.”

She added, “our event manager wrote to them a fortnight ago, asking what we needed to do and there was no response.

“They have not communicated with us and have not communicated with the council.”

A Metro spokeswoman said Metro was notified for the first time on Thursday that multiple parts of the Spotswood Festival were proposed to surround the level crossing, in close proximity to the unfenced railway tracks.

“Our concerns were about the safe running of the network for our passengers, event attendees, and our train drivers. We were unable to reach a resolution in the short time frame,” the spokeswoman said.

“Safety is the foundation of everything we do at Metro,” she said.

Ms Mckenna said the festival could not have come at a better time for Spotswood.

“All the traders have been really behind this festival, it was achieving its aims of bringing the community together,” she said.

“The people with bureaucratic power don’t understand the work and investment people have put into this …$45,000 has been pissed up the wall.”

The Department of Transport said Metro Trains had been working Hobsons Bay City Council to ensure the festival could safely take place while trains ran along the Werribee and Williamstown Line.

“We were continuing to work on a solution right up to the point that the festival was cancelled,” a spokesperson said.

“It’s regrettable that the street festival has been cancelled, but we urge everyone to get out and enjoy everything Spotswood has to offer this weekend including the remaining elements of the festival.”