Dire warning … Three people died at the Furlong Rd railway crossing in 2004. Last week’s inquest into the deaths has rekindled calls for an underpass, allowing traffic to bypass the blackspot.By Michael Newhouse
COMMUNITY anger over the Furlong Rd rail crossing intensified as last week’s coronial inquest into the deaths of three people at the intersection in 2004 reignited calls for the State Government to fund an underpass at the St Albans crossing.
City of Brimbank mayor Margaret Giudice told Star she hoped the coronial inquest would put pressure on the State Government to inject some money into fixing the West’s dangerous rail crossings.
“What council could possibly hope for is that the State Government actually fund the grade separation of that line as quickly as possible, like in this year’s Budget,” Cr Giudice said after the inquest hearings wound up last week.
The mayor said she was hopeful the inquest could provide lessons on how to safely manage Victoria’s almost 3000 rail crossings, but that the focus should be on some of the worst crossings, many of which were in Melbourne’s West.
“Encouraging safety at any of the rail crossings is definitely something that council would be interested in,” she said.
“The trouble is that we have some of the worst rail crossings in our own back yard and obviously we’re looking to have them fixed up as soon as possible.”
Longstanding St Albans crossing campaigner and St Albans Traders’ Association secretary Asip Demiri said the fact nothing had been done about the Furlong Rd crossing was an “absolute disgrace”.
“I couldn’t even put into words how much this whole situation saddens me,” he said.
“We’ve had not only the three deaths, we’ve had seven in total in the last seven years (at the crossing), and believe it or not nothing has been done.”
VicRoads has just completed a $55 million overpass at the Middleborough Rd site in Box Hill.
Mr Demiri attacked the lack of community input in the coronial inquest, and said he did not hold much hope that State Coroner Graeme Johnstone would call for a grade separation at Furlong Rd.
“Did they get any community feedback, any leaders in the area? Have they talked to the people that have campaigned on this issue for such a long time? No,” he said.
A State Government spokesperson said the issue of level crossing safety at St Albans was being addressed through its St Albans Strategy, which involves building an underpass at the Taylors Rd crossing and diverting traffic away from the centre of St Albans.
“The Government is committed to improving safety at Victoria’s level crossings and has already committed $54 million for the St Albans level crossing strategy,” the spokesperson said.
The coroner will deliver his finding in early April.
