Safety works no closer at deadly Hampton level crossing

An elderly woman was struck and killed last month at what neighbours say is one of Melbourne’s most dangerous train crossings. So why are rail authorities dragging their heels on safety improvements?

Julie Smerdon is among residents and authorities calling for an urgent solution at the gateless Grenville St level crossing. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Hundreds of residents are urging authorities to install gates at a deadly Bayside rail pedestrian crossing used by dozens of walkers and cyclists each day.

But their calls are falling on deaf ears.

Public Transport Victoria has refused to comment on what is being done — if anything — to prevent more people getting killed at the Grenville St crossing in Hampton after an innocent lady was struck and killed there last month.

Promised safety works at the notorious crossing were cancelled by the government authority last year, just months before Gloria Holmes was fatally hit by a train on April 15.

A bend in the track near Grenville St pedestrian rail crossing makes trains even harder to see. Picture: Shaun Campbell

Residents have called for safety upgrades at the site — the only sole pedestrian crossing without automated gates or an underpass between Sandringham railway station and South Rd — for more than five years but nothing has been done.

Victim Gloria Holmes.

When Leader visited all four pedestrian crossings at least seven people crossed the tracks at Grenville St in five minutes compared to only one person using the others combined.

Terry Walsh, secretary of the owners corporation committee at Edgecliff on the Beach apartment complex — where Ms Holmes lived — said he had written to authorities calling for action on behalf of the complex’s 200 residents.

Mr Walsh said a bend in the track near the crossing often coincided with trains travelling in both directions, leading to many near-misses and people not noticing oncoming trains.

“Gated access would be a small price to pay for improved safety for many pedestrians,” Mr Walsh said.

The Holyrood St crossing has a bend similar to Grenville St, but has gates and sound warnings. Picture: Shaun Campbell

PTV identified the crossing as “one of nine high-risk pedestrian crossings planned to be upgraded in 2017/18” before backtracking in November, saying “a sudden change in the risk profile … required other crossings be prioritised”.

Grenville St’s Julie Smerdon was furious when safety works were cancelled without explanation, and said she had personally witnessed three other deaths at the crossing since moving to the area in 1982.

“There’s lots of talk about it now and I see people discussing it at the crossing,” she said.

“I’m sure other residents will be on board (calling for safety works) now, if not in the past.”

Authorities have also joined the fight in light of last month’s death, with Bayside Council and Brighton Liberal MP James Newbury writing to Transport Minister Jacinta Allan urging her to commit to warning gates and signals.

A train at Crisp St pedestrian crossing, which is protected by an automatic gate and warning bells.

Bayside mayor Michael Heffernan said an urgent solution must be found, while Mr Newbury agreed the government needed to “get its act together before someone else is killed”.

“(They) have known this crossing is dangerous for years and now a local grandmother has tragically died there,” Mr Newbury said.

MORE: HOW GRAFFITI SCOURGE COULD END FOR BAYSIDE TRAIN LINE

But when questioned, PTV refused to comment on whether the site’s safety risk was being re-evaluated, why the crossing did not have gates, why safety works were cancelled, or whether anything at all would be done.

PTV chief executive Jeroen Weimar sent the same response to previous Leader inquiries about the issue — that many others were being removed and PTV “also undertook ongoing work to remind people of the risks around crossings”.

A spokesman for Ms Allan did not answer the same questions, choosing instead to use the opportunity to spruik the government’s level crossing removal program. He said the government would “consider future upgrades” to the crossing “as part of our ongoing work”.