By CASEY NEILL
BUSINESSES can have their say on the Abbotts Road level crossing removal project at an evening forum.
The Level Crossing Removal Authority (LCRA) will host an event “for input into design options” following outcry over plans to close the road at the Cranbourne rail line.
LCRA representatives will present “a detailed overview of all options under consideration” and facilitate discussion around each option.
It has previously presented just one option – closing Abbotts Road and building an overpass connecting Remington Drive with Pound Road West.
State Government and City of Greater Dandenong representatives will be present.
The LCRA said the Abbotts Road boom gates had a notorious history, including two fatalities in the past seven years.
“The single lane of traffic in each direction and high volume of traffic causes long queues and lengthy delays for many businesses and employees that rely on this route to access the South Gippsland Highway.”
But businesses said it was a key thoroughfare and its closure would hurt trade and cost jobs.
“We already have a couple of companies who’ve said they have difficulty attracting workers to Abbotts Road because they don’t want to spend half an hour in the evening in a traffic jam trying to get out, or in the morning,” South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA) executive officer Adrian Boden said.
“If that’s already a road block, this is literally a road block.”
Mr Boden said the LCRA could be “far more creative in trying to find a cost-effective solution than you can in a residential area”.
He suggested a single-lane overpass that brought traffic into the estate in the mornings and out in the evenings.
“It would improve the situation, it wouldn’t solve it. It’s just a thought-bubble,” he said.
Arco restaurant’s Lindsay Bull slammed the LCRA over a poorly-attended information session which was held at Nissan on Friday 4 March.
“After returning to my restaurant and seeing people who have businesses and property sitting at tables having breakfast, my question was ‘why didn’t you attend the LCRA meeting?’ – ‘I didn’t know about it’ was the answer from all,” he said.
“We as business and property owners are concerned that if you cannot organise a simple meeting date and time and place, how on earth are you going to organise a major program of removing crossings?”
He urged the LCRA to build the Remington Drive link and reassess safety at the Abbotts Road crossing.
“We cannot make a knee-jerk reaction just to find three years down the track it was an error to close Abbotts and try and re-open it. The damage to the region will already be done,” he said.
The industry forum will take place from 6.30pm to 8pm on Thursday 17 March.
RSVP to contact@levelcrossings.vic.gov.au or call 1800 762 667 during business hours. LCRA will confirm the address upon RSVP.
