Locals claim lack of proper consultation over rail project in Surrey Hills and Mont Albert

A controversial Andrews government plan to discard Surrey Hills and Mont Albert stations, and build a new station has riled locals.

The Andrews government has been accused of poor planning and failing to properly consult locals over a controversial plan to remove two level crossings in the city’s east.

Surrey Hills and Mont Albert stations will be discarded for the project and a new premium station built in between.

This will allow removal of level crossings at Union Road, Surrey Hills, and Mont Albert Road, Mont Albert, in 2023, with trains to use a trench.

But Surrey Hills Progress Association president Greg Buchanan has written to the government criticising the “unprofessional community consultation process” of its Level Crossing Removal ­Project (LXRP) body.

“The association is not ­satisfied that the LXRP has conducted a genuine consultation process and that, in fact, there was ever any intention to critically review the initial plan,” Mr Buchanan said.

Removal of the Union Road level crossing had caused a furore

Mr Buchanan questioned whether the project was consistent with the government’s Plan Melbourne strategy involving issues such as disabled, motorised scooter and pram access to the new station, parking, bike separation from cars at main road crossings, and loss of public open space.

“We query whether the relaxation of statutory planning controls for this major infrastructure … project has acted as a cue for the LXRP … to step away from the government’s major strategic planning policy for Melbourne,” he said.

Opposition transport infrastructure spokesman David Davis said the non-genuine consultation was a shambles.

“Premier Daniel Andrews and Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan are riding roughshod over an honest and engaged local community heading to their predetermined objective no matter what the damage,” Mr Davis said.

Local group Friends of Lorne Parade Reserve held a protest on Sunday against plans to use the reserve to store equipment during the works.

A government spokeswoman said it had received thousands of pieces of community feedback on the project.

“We want to keep speaking to locals as we progress works on this vital upgrade,” she said.

“These crossings are two of Melbourne’s worst, with a tragic safety record, and removing them as soon as possible is our highest priority.”

The spokeswoman said there was “enormous” local support for the fast-tracked removal of the level crossings, and “huge support” for the rail trench and new stations.

Some 2000 survey responses had been received from ­December to February, and more than 15,000 people had engaged online.