A PUSH to boost safety at a killer railway crossing close to three Williamstown schools gained momentum last week when it won the unanimous support of Hobsons Bay councillors.
The notorious crossing at Williamstown North Railway Station claimed the lives of a 12-year-old girl and her 10-year-old brother in 1993.
Star last month revealed fears the tragedy could soon be repeated after the council decided not to replace a crossing supervisor when he retired in March.
During a visit to the crossing before school starting time three weeks ago, Star witnessed several students rushing across the tracks to beat oncoming trains, despite the boom gates for motorists being down and warning lights flashing.
Principal of nearby Williamstown North Primary School, Neil Sproal, and ward councillor Peter Hemphill both labelled the crossing a deathtrap.
Mr Sproal said the school community still remembered the shock of the 1993 incident that occurred when the boy and girl went cross tracks after a train had passed and were hit by a train travelling in the opposite direction.
Councillors rallied behind Cr Hemphill’s calls for safety measures after he successfully raised a motion at last week’s council meeting to reinstate a crossing supervisor as soon as possible.
Councillors voted unanimously in favour of Cr Hemphill’s motion that also called on the council to lobby the Member for Williamstown Wade Noonan and Altona MP and Minister for Transport Lynne Kosky urging the installation of automatic gates for pedestrians at the crossing “immediately”.
Cr Hemphill said the council had already begun looking for a crossing supervisor following the vote.
“But we recognise that is not the real solution to the problem because it doesn’t stop people from crossing if they really want to. I’m told that one of the problems with the previous supervisor was that, apparently, when he warned some of the teenagers not to cross they would become abusive and ignore the advice,” Cr Hemphill said.
