By ALESHA CAPONE
THOUSANDS of people worried about safety and congestion have called for the Melton Highway level crossing near Watergardens Train Station to be upgraded.
Dorian Papadopoulos started the Facebook group titled ‘Melton Highway NEEDS an Underpass/Overpass’ on 30 October and the page has since gathered almost 2500 supporters.
Mr Papadopoulos said as a frequent user of the Melton Highway, he allows for 20-30 minute-plus delays to get to Watergardens or onto the Calder Freeway, even though he lives five minutes away.
“Since the Sydenham metro line has been extended to Sunbury, it’s become a disastrous and dangerous crossing, with many drivers becoming impatient and illegally running the red lights at the crossing,” he said.
“I don’t want us to become the next Main Rd on St Albans, where their local community has been fighting for an underpass at that level crossing for over 30 years.”
Keilor MP Natalie Hutchins has launched a petition calling on the State Government to fix the highway crossing.
Ms Hutchins said the heavy traffic was also dangerous for students at two secondary schools near the crossing, as they sometimes illegally crossed the rails while the boomgates lowered.
“I am concerned about that issue and would hate to see a tragedy occur,” Ms Hutchins said.
She has encouraged residents to sign the petition to help get the Melton Highway crossing included in the Opposition’s plan to upgrade 50 of the state’s worst level crossings, if they are elected next year.
Labor has selected 40 crossings for the list and will decide the remaining 10 after community feedback.
The RACV’s roads and traffic manager, Dave Jones, said the 2012 ‘Red Spot’ survey highlighted the Melton Highway crossing as a site residents are concerned about.
“The Melton Highway was the number one location in Taylors Lakes for congestion,” Mr Jones said.
A spokesperson for the Minister for Public Transport and Roads, Terry Mulder, said the former Labor Government “had 11 years to do something about the Melton Highway level crossing, but didn’t”.
“The Labor Opposition’s transport plan also ignores the Melton Highway level crossing,” the spokesperson said.
