By CASEY NEILL
TWO deaths at the Abbotts Road level crossing are being trivialised during debate about its removal, a disappointed Gabrielle Williams says.
The Dandenong MP lost her grandmother in a car crash and said some businesses had been cynical about safety arguments.
Some, she said, had made flippant remarks along the lines of “it’s only two people”.
“Making light of those tragedies, or trying to diminish their significance in any way, particularly for the families of those victims, is not particularly sensitive,” she said.
“It’s pretty disappointing.
“I just want to make sure in the discussions we’re having about this that we’re not being insensitive to others.
“Behind those statistics are real people and real families.”
A train passenger died at the crossing in 2012 after a truck careered through lowered boom gates.
A motorist died when a train struck her car at the site four years earlier.
Ms Williams said debate about the Level Crossing Removal Authority’s plan to close Abbotts Road at the rail line had revolved around the impact on businesses and traffic.
“I think into that debate there needs to be an injection of humanity about those issues,” she said.
“Obviously, there have been deaths at the crossing.
“There have also been a number of other accidents, I’ve been informed.
“In a general sense, level crossings are a relic of the past that we know has been a contributor to road accidents and fatalities across the state.
“Keeping the level crossing isn’t an option.”
