By Goya Dmytryshchak
Hobsons Bay council last week endorsed rail-under-road as the community’s preferred option for the level crossing removal at North Williamstown train station.
Councillors voted to back the view of the Ferguson Street Williamstown Level Crossing Community Interest Group (CIG) in lobbying Public Transport Minister and Williamstown MP Melissa Horne.
Cr Peter Hemphill told last week’s council meeting that a huge pedestrian underpass going under the Kororoit Creek Road roundabout had also been suggested.
A small underpass at the station was filled in under a Liberal state government in 2014.
“What the residents are suggesting is a much larger underpass that goes from the station gate underneath the roundabout over to the Rifle Club Hotel,” Cr Hemphill told the meeting.
“I hope that the government heeds the idea and whatever outcome they come up with that is one of the things that makes traffic flow a bit better through there, and it’s an interesting concept.”
Cr Hemphill said he believed the state government had already decided to build a rail over the road.
“We’ve been told that each of the crossing removals costs about $160 million … but some of them have been far in excess of that,” he said.
“This is a very sensitive crossing removal and I don’t think the costs should be an impediment.
“My mail is that they’ve [the government] already made up their mind and that it’s rail over – and I’m hearing that from government sources.”
Williamstown Crossing Group spokesman Lorenzo de Falco, who is also on the CIG, welcomed the council’s endorsement of rail-under-road as the preferred grade separation option.
“Rail under road is the only grade separation option that preserves the unique historical character of Williamstown as opposed to rail over road, which would overshadow dozens of family homes and the kindergarten located along the rail corridor,” he said.
“WCG expects the government to respect the council’s position, given the critical significance of this level crossing removal.”
