Mentone crossing mayhem: Parents fear schoolchildren are at risk on hectic side streets
Fearful parents warn a mix of level crossing work-trucks, road closures and a spike in frustrated drivers on a key local road makes it a “matter of time” before a child is seriously hurt.
Inner South
Don't miss out on the headlines from Inner South . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Concerned parents fear a child could be killed on their way to or from school because of traffic chaos caused by level crossing removal work in Mentone.
They warn a serious accident is only “a matter of time” due to the increased traffic pushed from the closed Balcombe Rd into Warrigal Rd and side streets.
They have been flagging Como Pde W and Como Pde E as dangerous to cross with trucks and a high volume of cars clogging the roads.
On Tuesday the Level Crossing Removal Project put a supervisor on one to help kids cross to school but parents have called for Kingston Council to deploy a long-term lollipop crossing supervisor.
Mentone resident and mother-of-two Alison Van Den Dungen said she witnessed a young boy almost hit by a car as he rode his scooter onto the unsupervised crossing near Cremona St on Friday morning.
Ms Van Den Dungen, who was walking with her five-year-old to Mentone Primary School, said the boy came within metres from the passing vehicle.
“I screamed out for him to stop … I shudder to think at what could have happened,” she told the Leader.
“Every day I am worried my kids won’t stop in time.”
The frightening incident followed reports a family was also nearly hit at the nearest council — manned crossing at Childers St and Warrigal Rd.
A petition created by Ms Van Den Dungen urging the council to deploy lollipop supervisors at the unsupervised crossing points on Como Pde W near Cremona St and Como Pde E near Rogers St — the two points which connect the crossing over the railway line — has gained more than 700 signatures from parents at schools including Mentone Primary, St Patrick’s, Mentone Childcare and Kindergarten, Mentone Preschool and Mentone Grammar.
“I live in Mentone and it’s not even safe for adults around those schools at the moment. Due to traffic, more drivers are taking risks (and) multiple buses on the roads and trucks make things even more perilous,” one Mentone woman wrote.
“I want to be able to let my three kids walk to school safely,” another woman said.
On Tuesday the Level Crossing Removal Project stepped in and assigned a traffic control person to the Como Pde E and Rogers St zone to help children cross safely, and Kingston Council planning and development general manager Jonathan Guttmann said another person would be organised by the LXRP to man the Como Pde W side.
“In response to concerns raised by the community, council contacted the LXRP about pedestrian movements at Como Parade W and Cremona St during school drop-off and pick-up,” he told the Leader.
“The safety of the community is a priority for Kingston Council and it takes any concerns raised about potential safety issues very seriously.”
But Ms Van Den Dungen urged Kingston Council to employ two permanent foot traffic managers on each side for when the works are complete.
MORE NEWS
GIRL GANGS WREAK HAVOC ACROSS MELBOURNE
RETAILERS CLOSE AS TRADE SLUMPS IN DANDENONG
HOSPITAL BOOST BRINGS HUNDREDS OF JOBS TO FRANKSTON
“LXRP acted quickly but what happens when the works are over?” she said.
“(And) in a week, the older primary students (Grade 3 to 6) will also return, meaning more children travelling to school.
“Something needs to be done immediately … I wouldn’t know what I’d do if something happened and I didn’t say something.”
“The Level Crossing Removal Project has arranged for traffic controllers to be out there every school day until the end of our construction blitz.”
“We thank the community for their patience during our work removing three dangerous and congested level crossings and building two new train stations.”
An LXRP spokesman told the Leader traffic near Cremona St had decreased during works, with the northern end of Como Pde W currently closed to traffic.
“LXRP has more than 50 traffic controllers stationed around Cheltenham and Mentone during our works for the safety of motorists and pedestrians,” the spokesman said.
“We thank the community for their patience during our work removing three dangerous and congested level crossings and building two new train stations.”
To sign Ms Van Den Dungen’s petition, click here.
brittany.goldsmith@news.com.au