Estates linked at last

Alison Noonan
THE gap between Lynbrook and Lyndhurst residents has finally been bridged.
Residents in Fig Tree Estate and Lynbrook Estate will have safe passage between the areas when a new pedestrian underpass is built beneath the DandenongCranbourne rail line at Aylmer Road in Lynbrook.
River Gum Ward councillor Wayne Smith said news that work on the underpass would start this weekend was a boost for the community, which had lobbied council and the State Government for nearly six years.
“This underpass will connect these two communities and eliminate the problem of people illegally crossing the rail line,” Cr Smith said.
“The school and the shopping centre are in Lynbrook so residents in Fig Tree Estate will now have safe access to walk.
“This underpass is absolutely necessary. An accident would have been inevitable if it wasn’t put in,” he said.
Cr Smith said council paid for the underpass through a railway infrastructure levy.
He said the next step was to push the State Government for a level crossing to cut driving time in half.
“At the moment it’s about a 15 minute drive from one estate to another,” he said. “Our next step is for cars to be able to travel across, but that is another story.”
Most of the underpass will be completed this weekend in a bid to minimise delays and disruption to rail passengers.
A VicTrack spokesperson said weekend works would commence from the time the last train runs on Friday night and continue both day and night until the first train is scheduled on Monday.
The spokesperson said every endeavour would be made to keep noise to a minimum.
Completion of the underpass is scheduled for November.