A truck crashed through the level crossing barriers. 89700 Picture: DONNA OATES
By CASEY NEILL
A DANDENONG South level crossing has claimed its second life in five years.
But the Abbotts Road-Cranbourne Line intersection is still ranked at 144 on a level crossing risk list.
An outbound train collided with a prime mover’s trailer on Abbotts Road about 11.40am on Saturday 3 November.
A 43-year-old train passenger from Cranbourne West died at the scene and the 30-year-old train driver, from Gisborne, was taken to The Alfred in a serious condition.
Paramedics also took four passengers to Dandenong Hospital and another four to Frankston Hospital with minor injuries.
Police have interviewed the truck driver, a 69-year-old Narre Warren North man, and released him pending further inquiries.
A crash at the same level crossing five years ago claimed a 53-year-old Garfield woman’s life.
She was driving along Abbotts Road about 6.20am on 18 November 2008 when a Cranbourne-bound train travelling at 110 kilometres an hour struck her hatchback.
The boom gates and lights were operating. The six-carriage train pushed the car wreckage 250 metres down the line.
Another injury occurred in a collision at the crossing in 2001, near misses in 2002, 2005 and 2007, and a collision without injury in 2006.
Saturday’s tragedy came after figures released just last week revealed Dandenong, Noble Park and Springvale as the suburbs with the highest number of near-misses at level crossings in 2011-12.
The collision prompted trackSAFE to call for the State Government to remove all Melbourne level crossings and impose more severe consequences on drivers and pedestrians for disobeying level crossing road rules.
Board director Bryan Nye said a truck driver would be fined just $704 for ignoring level crossing road rules, and penalties should reflect the potential consequences and act as a deterrent.
“Considering that the impact of the truck destroyed half of the train, it is extremely fortunate that more people were not killed,” he said.
Opposition public transport spokeswoman Fiona Richardson called on Premier Ted Baillieu to discuss a bi-partisan approach to deal with level crossings.
“In the 1920s the NSW Government took on the task of removing all their dangerous level crossings,” she said.
“It’s time for Victoria to follow suit and address level crossing safety once and for all.”
Red Gum Ward councillor Angela Long said all level crossings throughout Victoria should be graded separated, but that this would take time because of the funding required.
“It was a tragic accident. Our condolences go out to the family,” she said.
Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder said the State Government was actively working to fix level crossings along the Dandenong line.
He said Abbotts Road ranked at 144 on the Australian Level Crossings Assessment Model, which rates risk factors.
“While we cannot remove all level crossings at once, we are making a concerted effort to remove as many as possible,” he said.
Mr Mulder said it was essential that drivers and pedestrians obeyed flashing lights, warning bells and boom barriers.
“No ifs, no buts… trains have absolute priority,” he said.
“If the booms remain down, do not drive around them or cross the tracks unless directed to do so.
“Another train could be coming, especially on double-track sections of line.”
See page 2 for more coverage.
