Tracks near Ringwood East station causing damage to cars

A driver says she was slugged extra on her recent car service for damage caused by travelling over a crossing near a busy train station in Ringwood East. The road is in such bad condition, motorists are driving out of their way to avoid it.

Ringwood commuters are fed up with the state of the railway crossing at Ringwood East. Picture: Josie Hayden

Motorists are avoiding a Maroondah railway crossing because the road and the track have become so bad drivers say they are damaging vehicles.

The asphalt between the tracks on the north facing side of the crossing on Dublin Rd has become so raised and lumpy that it has created bumps and cracks around the tracks

Ringwood East’s Elwynne Kift said crossing the tracks violently shook her car.

She said the problem had been going on for years and has caused her to go out of her way to avoid the crossing.

“I quite often will just travel down Maroondah Highway to actually miss going over it,” Ms Kift said.

Maroondah Cr Kylie Spears, Elwynne Kift and Cr Mike Symon are calling for upgrades to fix the crossing. Picture: Josie Hayden

The crossing has become so bad it caused damage to her car.

“At my last service I asked them particularly is there any damage to the car through going over the terrible bumps,” she said.

“They checked and that was an extra on my service, I’ve literally paid for it.

“None of us commuters should have to do that, it’s wrong.”

People took to the Maroondah Leader Facebook page to vent their frustration with the state of the crossing. Wendy Osborne said: “I go over it so slowly; I’m nearly stopped and it still shakes my car.’’

Bailey English said: “Yes, it’s just as bad going over it in the trucks that I drive. Something needs to be done about it before someone’s vehicle gets seriously damaged,’’ while Kenn Moulynox said: Motorists should sue VicRoads if their car has been damaged.’’

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Maroondah Cr Mike Symon said the crossing had become so dangerous it was causing motorists to unexpectedly brake in the middle of the road.

“When someone drops on the breaks that hard and that unexpectedly it does lead to nose to tail collisions,” he said.

“(A car accident) almost happened to me.”

Cr Symon said he used the road every day to get to work and had noticed it had got significantly worse in the past six months.

“It shouldn’t be that way, it should be as safe as possible to cross,” Cr Symon said.

Metro media manager Andrew Nelson said work was planned to fix the issue.