By CASEY NEILL
DANDENONG South businesses are fuming over shock plans to cut Abbotts Road in half at the railway crossing.
Arco restaurant director Lindsay Bull received overwhelming support from 40-plus business representatives when he slammed the Level Crossing Removal Authority plan at a heated drop-in information session at AW Bell on Thursday 25 February.
“This would close my business,” he said.
“They’ve got an hour for lunch. It takes them two minutes to get to me at the moment.
“This would take at least 20, depending on traffic.”
The authority has proposed a new road link over the rail line connecting Remington Drive to Pound Road and “the truncation of Abbotts Road” – or its closure.
The authority said there had been two deaths and many injuries at the site in the past seven years.
“Our investigations to date indicate that this option would provide significant benefit to the Dandenong South Industrial Precinct.”
The project is to be delivered by 2019 but Mr Bull said it shouldn’t go ahead.
He said many businesses relied on through-traffic and had taken out lengthy leases.
“They paid a premium to be on a road that has 23,000 people driving down it,” he said.
“They’re booked in for years to come.”
Paul Harding from Hume Doors and Timber on Remington Drive said his workers’ immediate reaction to the crossing plan was “there goes Arco lunches”.
“That’s already one business one day a week. He’s screwed,” he said.
Mr Harding said a milk bar opposite his factory would also suffer, with his 120 workers facing the dangerous task of crossing “basically, a four-lane highway” to get there and roadside parking used by trucks set to be removed.
Several workers from Stephens Glass voiced concerns about the impact on its workers and income.
“We bought our property on a main road, not a dead-end road,” Nick Fraraccio said.
“We paid a premium price because we need the passing trade.”
A Level Crossing Removal Project spokeswoman indicated that South East Melbourne Manufacturer’s Alliance (SEMMA), Committee for Dandenong and Greater Dandenong Council supported the project.
Traffic would flow a lot better on Remington Drive, she said, and the authority would look at feedback about losing parking on the road.
Committee for Dandenong chairman Gary Castricum said the group was in a difficult position.
“We’re a strong supporter of Remington Drive because it’s critical,” he said.
“We don’t believe that’s the best solution but that’s the only solution they’re putting up.
“We don’t support the termination of Abbotts Road, we only support the Remington Drive overpass to occur.”
Mr Castricum said building a rail overpass or underpass at Abbotts Road would require compulsory acquisition of private land.
“They can’t accommodate the upgraded level crossing in their budget but they can accommodate the Remington Drive overpass,” he said.
Mr Castricum said he asked the Level Crossing Authority about leaving the Abbotts Road crossing as it was.
“They had serious concerns about the level crossing and that it can’t be left as it is. We share those concerns,” he said.
The Journal has contacted the council and SEMMA for comment and is awaiting responses.
South Eastern Metropolitan MP Inga Peulich has launched a petition at ingapeulich.org calling for the State Government to abandon plans to close Abbotts Road.
She said commuters from Cranbourne, Lynbrook and Lyndhurst faced an extra three kilometres on their daily commute on congested roads.
