By LAURA WAKELY
YOU’RE on a train, on the way home from work when an announcement comes over the speaker.
The Sydenham service has been delayed and there’ll be buses from Sunshine to Watergardens because of a fatality at the St Albans crossing.
It’s a disruption, a nuisance, another hour added to your already long working day.
Dianne Dejanovic understands commuters’ frustrations.
But she also knows exactly what it’s like for the family who have lost their loved one.
The St Albans mother was on the train home when a similar announcement came over the speaker on January 24.
Then came the call that her son Christian,pictured, had become the 16th victim of the notorious St Albans level crossing.
Christian would have turned 32 next month.
Now his loving mum has begun a petition calling on the Government to begin construction of the Main Rd grade separation immediately.
“It can’t help him and it can’t help me,” she said.
“I’m doing this so no other mother has to feel how I felt when I got that phone call.”
Earlier this month there were two fatalities on the Sydenham line and each one brought Dianne back to that night her son was killed.
“Here I’m trying to go to work, get on with my life and I can’t,” she said.
She knows she’s not the only one.
One shopkeeper told Dianne that every time she looks out on the road, she can see her son, lying there.
“I’ve lived in St Albans, 40 years and this has been going on for years and year and years,” Dianne said.
“Both governments have failed to do anything and you wonder, what is it going to take?
“Do they want more numbers? More deaths? What is the missing ingredient here that’s actually going to be the catalyst for change?
“What is it? It’s obviously not people’s lives.”
Western Metropolitan MP Bernie Finn told Star last week that planning was underway for the grade separation, but no date for the project has been set.
Dianne is also hoping to set up a support group for people who have lost loved ones at rail crossings and asked anyone interested to get in touch with her.
The awareness rally will take place from 8am on Monday 1 October – Christian’s birthday – at St Albans Railway Station.
To sign the ‘Stop the carnage’ petition visit www.change.org/stalbans
