A leaked state government email has revealed VicTrack’s regret that it did not give Hobsons Bay council enough notice of the closure of the Williamstown North railway station underpass.
As reported last month, residents were outraged to find the underpass had been sealed off in the middle of the night without warning.
More than 300 people last year signed a petition calling for “automated safety barriers”, but not at the expense of closing the underpass.
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Two children were killed more than 20 years ago at the crossing and a cyclist suffered irreversible brain injury after being dragged by a train in 2011.
An email sighted by Star Weekly states: “VicTrack has acknowledged that we should have given the council greater notice that the work was going ahead.”
After learning this newspaper was aware of the email, VicTrack spokeswoman Liz Compton reiterated that the council should have been notified earlier.
“In terms of notification to the community, VicTrack has letterboxed affected residents, advertised in the local papers when there were night works and contacted local schools to urge students to take particular care,” she said.
Williamstown MP Wade Noonan, who organised the petition for automated safety barriers, slammed VicTrack for closing the underpass without consulting the council or community.
“No notice, no consultation, yet the community is expected to believe there was no other choice but to close the underpass,” he said. “This just makes the whole decision look like amateur hour. This is the most ridiculous decision I’ve ever accounted.”
