By CASEY NEILL
NOBLE Park RSL’s president fears traffic chaos on Heatherton Road could soon kill.
John Meehan said Dandenong line train services added in July were increasing the amount of time nearby boom-gates were down and causing traffic to bank up past the RSL.
Councillor Roz Blades raised similar concerns in July, and Mr Meehan chose to speak out because he was unhappy that Transport Minister Terry Mulder had not taken them on board.
“I’m really worried that somebody’s going to get killed there soon,” he said.
“It’s been a problem a long time now, and building and building.
“It’s a danger – getting out onto Heatherton Road is a danger.
Mr Meehan said there was no keep clear sign outside the premises so traffic blocked the entrance and exit every day.
“I see our people taking a threat to their life every time they leave our RSL,” he said.
“I’m quite concerned that someone coming out of our car park is going to be T-boned and it’s going to be a hell of a whack.”
He’s written to City of Greater Dandenong Mayor Jim Memeti and Mr Mulder to express his concerns but has not yet received a reply.
“Sometimes you can sit there for five our eight minutes at the exit to the car park trying to get out,” he said.
“I feel threatened for myself but it’s all my members that I’m worried about.
“I’m surprised there hasn’t been one of our members killed there.”
Mr Meehan’s comments followed Councillor Roz Blades’s concerns in the Journal on 7 July that new train services on the Dandenong rail line would bring traffic to a standstill.
“It’s bloody shocking news,” she said.
“I don’t know how anybody’s going to get around Greater Dandenong with trains at that capacity.
“What about emergency vehicles? How are they going to cope?”
On 21 July the Journal published a response from Mr Mulder that labelled Cr Blades “seriously misinformed”.
“Unlike Cr Blades, the government wants to make it easier for motorists, rail users and small business owners to move around,” he said.
Mr Meehan said he was “very upset” by Mr Mulder’s comments.
“She was there out of her concern for her local constituents,” he said.
“The minister sort of put her case down.
“We fully support the outstanding efforts of Cr Blades in bringing this situation to the public’s attention and certainly hope the State Government place her sound words into public action.”
