Safety upgrade works at Hampton rail crossing cancelled months before death of pedestrian

Just months before an elderly woman was killed at a dangerous rail crossing in Hampton, the state’s peak transport authority pulled the pin on plans to install gates and sirens. Now, the family is demanding answers.

Long-time Hampton resident Julie Smerdon says there will be more deaths if the crossing isn’t upgraded.

A notorious Hampton rail crossing where a woman was killed last month had been promised gates and sirens — but Public Transport Victoria reneged on works just months before her tragic death.

The public transport authority has been slammed after the death of 83-year-old Hampton grandmother Gloria Holmes, who was struck by a train while walking her dog across the Grenville St rail crossing on April 15.

Neighbours have long called for safety upgrades at the crossing, prompting PTV to identify it as “one of nine high-risk pedestrian crossings planned to be upgraded...in 2017/18”.

Gloria Holmes died when hit by a train while walking her dog.

But, in a letter seen by the Bayside Leader, the authority wrote to neighbours in November stating: “A sudden change in the risk profile of certain level crossings in Victoria required other crossings be prioritised”.

Julie Smerdon, of Grenville St, said she had witnessed three other deaths at the crossing since moving to the area in 1982.

Ms Smerdon said the authority’s response was “sickening”.

She said Ms Holmes’ death could have been avoided if gates or sirens had been installed as promised as they would have made it “impossible to cross there when a train is approaching”.

“These are just the deaths I know about and the crossing has been a constant worry my whole life,” Ms Smerdon said.

“This is not going to be the last death there; the town is swelling with people and this is one of the only crossings to get to the beach so lots of people use it in summer.

“You also get lots of (school students) from Orlando St coming across to St Mary’s and Hampton Primary School, so it’s a worry for the kids too.”

Julie Smerdon is desperate to see the crossing made safer. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Two other nearby level crossings at Holyrood St and New St have safety precautions, including gates.

Ms Holmes’ daughter Lesley ­Mather and granddaughter Simone Palamara had previously urged authorities to take action after Gloria’s death.

“Something has to be done urgently (because) it could happen again next week,” Ms Mather said.

Pubic Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen said safety was paramount at rail pedestrian crossings.

“The fact that there are no gates at this crossing is disappointing; you would hope that PTV is looking at it closely,” Mr Bowen said.

“There are a lot of crossings ant they should include automatic gates, (which) wouldn’t be a very expensive exercise compared to some of the road and level crossing removals.

“It is all about safety.”

Brighton state Liberal MP James Newbury said it was time to improve safety along the dangerous track.

But PTV chief executive Jeroen Weimar refused to say if and when the crossing would be upgraded.

Mr Weimar did not answer specific questions about why it was reprioritised or what other crossings — if any — were upgraded instead.

He said the authority was working to remove all pedestrian crossings, and urged residents to be aware of the dangers.

All of Melbourne’s 500 car and pedestrian level crossings are assigned a risk rating based on train frequency, number of incidents, safety features, nearby development, and operational factors.