By LAURA WAKELY
PLANS for the Anderson Rd grade separation have been revised by the Regional Rail Link Authority after community meetings.
The RRL Authority met with residents at an invitation-only meeting last Thursday, which included Brimbank City Council and the project team working on the Footscray-Deer Park section of the RRL.
RRL Footscray – Deer Park Alliance General Manager Elliot Young said the design review resulted in several changes to the initial design which would minimise impacts on the HV McKay Memorial Gardens.
These include the relocation of the powerlines underground, which reduces the need for land acquisition along the front of the gardens and mean the historic gates will stay in their existing location, rather than be removed.
The contentious three metre footpath along the eastern side of Anderson Rd has also been reduced to just 1.5 metres, which the RRL Authority claimed will result in no more than five metres squared being acquired from this area at the front of the gardens.
The final revision includes a new pedestrian bridge which will join a new footpath on this eastern side, which will maintain the spatial relationship between the residential and industrial estates.
“This is a great outcome for the community and comes as a result of a willingness by all parties to work through all the issues and coming up with the best answer,” Mr Young said.
“We will continue to work closely with stakeholders to fully develop the revised design solution.”
But the RRL acquisition continues to cause headaches, especially for Albion residents who are concerned about the permanent closure of King Edward Ave.
Western Metropolitan MP Bernie Finn spoke out in Parliament earlier this month about the road closure, warning Transport Minister Terry Mulder it was an issue that could not “be dismissed”.
“We can see there are some major problems, and I am particularly concerned about the Anderson Rd Child Care Centre on Anderson Rd in Albion,” Mr Finn said.
“These changes will effectively close the entrance to the kindergarten section of the child-care centre. “
He said he had been “reliably informed” that there was no community consultation about the closure and called on the Minister to hold a public meeting between the RRL Authority and residents.
