Casey Council calls on State Government to improve designs for Berwick level crossing removal
Casey Mayor Susan Serey is urging the State Government to improve its plans for Berwick’s Clyde Rd “uninviting and unfitting” level crossing replacement. She says the council has much better ideas.
South East
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Casey Council has urged the State Government to consider an improved level crossing design for Berwick railway station, following the announcement it will be removed by 2022.
Last week, Premier Daniel Andrews revealed an alliance of Fulton Hogan and Metro Trains had won a $166 million contract to remove the Clyde Rd level crossing by lowering the road under the Pakenham line.
But Casey Mayor Susan Serey said the road under rail design was an “old solution” and must be updated to better meets the needs of our community.
“This solution fails to meet the standards the State Government promote as part of Plan Melbourne’s 20-minute neighbourhoods,” she said.
“It is uninviting and unfitting for an area that is earmarked as being a future vibrant health and education precinct.”
Cr Serey said the council had made recommendations to the Level Crossing Removal Project, but they weren’t reflected in the current design.
She said the council was calling for better connections through wider footpaths and landscaping to create open attractive walking and cycling paths along both sides of Clyde Rd.
Other changes it wanted were the transformation of the underpass retaining walls into terraced landscape elements with stairs and ramps and improved safety from open sightlines.
“This project also provides a once-off opportunity to transform the Berwick Railway Station, one of Melbourne’s busiest, ageing and out-of-date stations” Cr Serey said.
“Three new stations are being delivered along the Frankston line as part of the LXRP, while only one has been announced for the Pakenham line.”
Premier Daniel Andrews said the State Government was keeping its promises and removing dangerous and congested level crossings.
“Every level crossing removal makes local streets safer, improves traffic flow and allows us run more trains – and every one of them creates Victorian jobs.”