TRUCK-PLAGUED Moore Street will become a greater heavy-vehicle magnet following Regional Rail Link roadworks, say irate Footscray residents.
The residents are also livid at not being told sooner about road changes they say will cut off access to a local primary school and make a busy intersection even more dangerous.
The Regional Rail Link Authority has revealed plans to close access from Shelley Street to Hopkins Street and cut off right-hand turns into Cowper Street as part of works associated with rebuilding the Hopkins Street bridge.
Resident Adrian Basso said extending a right-hand turn lane from Hopkins Street into Moore Street is an open invitation for trucks to increase their use of the route. “We have kids living here who go to Footscray City Primary School and they will be taking their life into their own hands at this intersection.”
Truck movements on Moore Street have increased since 2006 to about 2650 a day.
The street has been hardest hit by extra night-time truck traffic — up almost 40 per cent from 2011 to last year and a 400 per cent jump since 2006.
Regional Rail Link project spokesman Tim Holmes said the lane extension had not been specifically designed to accommodate extra truck traffic, but he would not comment on whether that might be a flow-on effect.
Mr Basso said residents were furious at a lack of consultation or information regarding changes.
The RRLA, VicRoads and Maribyrnong Council has worked on details for almost a year, but residents were only told of plans on January 19, just weeks before construction begins.
Mr Basso said the late notice was arrogant and showed how the RRLA kept residents uninformed until too late for input.
“Throughout this whole Regional Rail Link process Footscray has been treated like a doormat,” he said.
“Although billions of federal government money has been handed over to Regional Rail, the money is systematically damaging, rather than improving, the local neighbourhood.”
Mr Basso said trucks were getting a free run with pedestrian and cycling improvements again neglected.
Mr Holmes said the changes were triggered by two new rail tracks forcing extension of the Hopkins Street bridge.
“The road access solutions have been developed in accordance with current road safety standards and to the requirements of road authorities, Maribyrnong Council and VicRoads.”
Works will continue for about nine months.
