Maroondah Council remains against a footbridge from Ringwood station despite strong public support

Maroondah Council is not budging on its view that a footbridge is not needed linking Ringwood railway station and Eastland over Maroondah Highway.

There’s no plan for a pedestrian overpass to Ringwood Town Square. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Community members have made a renewed call for a pedestrian footbridge on Maroondah Highway linking Ringwood’s railway station, Town Square and Eastland.

But Maroondah Council remains opposed to the idea despite a likely increase in foot traffic when it moves to its new offices.

Public Transport Victoria and the council opted for a ground-level crossing on the highway when the station’s $66 million upgrade was completed in early 2016.

At the time, PTV spokeswoman Rosa Zuccarelli said both organisations determined the crossing would integrate better with the redeveloped Eastland.

Pedestrians cross Maroondah Highway from Ringwood railway station into Ringwood Town Square. Picture: Andy Brownbill

But Ms Zuccarelli said the station’s design had provisions for a potential footbridge between the two sites in the future.

Maroondah Mayor Rob Steane said a footbridge would be “costly” and “visually obtrusive” and had never been considered appropriate for the precinct.

He said the council maintained the view that a footbridge would have “a negative impact on the street environment on Maroondah Highway”.

“The removal of pedestrians from Maroondah Highway has the potential to sterilise the pedestrian environment and therefore make the whole area less enticing and safe,” Cr Steane said.

“The current crossing across Maroondah Highway provides for a safe and accessible route for all pedestrians and council doesn’t believe an overpass is warranted.”

An overwhelming majority of readers supported construction of a footbridge on Maroondah Leader’s Facebook page, with many saying it should have been included initially.

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But Ben Williams disagreed, saying the open design worked well and he didn’t want “a shady bridge for the bogans to lurk beneath”.

Van Spink said an underpass to Eastland’s shops would be better, similar to Box Hill and Melbourne Central shopping centres.

Maroondah Council’s new offices are expected to be finished by May 2020 Picture: Andy Brownbill.

The council’s new offices are being built at Ringwood Town Square as an extension of the REALM Library, one level off the ground.

Cr Steane said a new entry point would not be created at street level and visitors would continue to use the existing entrance to REALM.

The council is yet to say if parking will be free or paid for staff and visitors to the new offices when they are completed in May 2020.

Department of Transport spokesman Lauren Hilbert said there were no plans to add a footbridge in the precinct.

According to the department, there has been no pedestrian accidents on Maroondah Highway between Ringwood St and Warrandyte Rd since 2015.

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