Labor pledges to remove deadly Union Rd level crossing by 2025

TWO time-wasting, dangerous level crossings in Melbourne’s east will finally be scheduled for removal if the Andrews Government is re-elected next month.

Labor says it will remove the Union Rd level crossing by 2025. Picture: Josie Hayden

SURREY Hills and Mont Albert’s time-wasting level crossings will finally be scheduled for removal if the Andrews Labor Government is re-elected next month.

The level crossings at Union Rd, Surrey Hills and Mont Albert Rd, Mont Albert, which can put cars at a standstill for up to 40 per cent of peak hour, are among 25 level crossings Labor has pledged to remove by 2025 if the party gets another term.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan told Whitehorse Leader they planned to take out the “dangerous and congested death traps” and build new train stations at each location.

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But she was unable to advise how soon commuters would be able to expect improvement at the level crossings, or how the Surrey Hills and Mont Albert crossings would be prioritised compared to the other 23 on the list for removal.

“We would get rid of them as soon as we can,” Ms Allan said.

“It makes sense to remove these two together.”

VicRoads labelled the Union Rd level crossing as one of just four high-priority crossings in the state due to be fixed back in 2013.

Labor says it will remove the Union Rd level crossing by 2025. Picture: Josie Hayden

It was the site of a double-fatality in 2016, and, since 2012 there have been eight near- misses at the crossing, according to the Andrews Government.

VicRoads data revealed about 22,000 vehicles cross the train tracks in the suburbs everyday, where boomgates can be down for 40 per cent of the time from 7-9am.

Surrey Hills’ Alex D’Amico said removing the crossing would “positively change Surrey Hills forever”.

He said the crossing caused massive delays, so much so that he would not have bought his house six years ago had it been on the other side of the crossing.

He said moving the train line would cut a lot of noise pollution for nearby houses, which was caused by drivers having to sound a train’s approach.

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Ms Allan said residents would be consulted about plans for the job.

She said engineers had so far suggested putting the train line under the road, rather than introducing SkyRail.

“The advice to-date from the rail authority is to go under,” she said.

Box Hill state Liberal MP Robert Clark said the crossings needed to go, but without the possibility of another SkyRail in their place or “concrete monstrosities” for new stations.

He said they would be “high priorities” under the Coalition, where they would be removed as soon as it could be done without SkyRail and without “massive tax increases”.