Cade Lucas
The state government has been accused of ignoring community concerns by continuing with plans to close a busy road as part of the Newport level crossing removal project.
Designs released on Tuesday, November 19 show the removal of level crossings at both Maddox and Champion roads in Newport, but with the latter still being closed to traffic, something local residents and Hobsons Bay council vehemently oppose.
While Maddox Road will continue on an elevated bridge across the rail lines, Champion Road will be closed to traffic and a new pedestrian and cycling bridge built to link Williamstown North and Newport instead.
“They’ve flat out ignored the community,” said Gill Gannon, spokesperson for local campaign group Keep Champion Road Open.
“Thousands of people have signed petitions, turned up to meetings, emailed and visited (politician’s) offices and every one hasn’t been heard.”
A local resident and business owner, Ms Gannon said the closure of Champion Road would result in a huge increase in traffic on Maddox Road, causing congestion and safety issues.
“We are extremely concerned about the danger on Maddox Road with schools, childcare centres and maternal and child health centres. There’s parents and children crossing multiple times a day,” said Ms Gannon who added that the design of the pedestrian bridge was also flawed.
“The pedestrian walkway puts people through industrial land and is completely unsafe. There’s bike lanes that don’t go anywhere. They just go into brick walls. Dead ends.”
Ms Gannon said these concerns had been relayed to the government through the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) and Williamstown MP Melissa Horne, on numerous occasions, but to no avail.
To make matters worse, she said the designs were released on Tuesday afternoon, just hours before a scheduled stakeholder liaison meeting between residents and LXRP authorities.
“That’s outrageous,” said Ms Gannon who, along with other members of Keep Champion Road Open, refused to participate in the meeting at the Newport Bowls Club.
Newly elected Hobsons Bay mayor Daria Kellander agreed with Ms Gannon, saying issues outlined in a council submission in August hadn’t been taken into account.
“Council remains opposed to the divisive, permanent closure of the Champion Road level crossing,” Cr Kellander said.
In a statement an LXRP spokesperson denied that the local community had been ignored.
“Community feedback has been incorporated into the designs of the Newport project and we encourage the community to have their say – with our third round of consultation now underway.”
Ms Horne said the release of the designs didn’t mean the end of community consultation.
“There is a lot more work to do on the initial designs to reflect the feedback from the community including noise attenuation and protecting vegetation,” she said.
“I would encourage people to provide their feedback in the upcoming information sessions.”
