By Sahar Foladi
The Progress Street level crossing removal contract has been awarded despite a 765-strong opposing petition by surrounding businesses.
The announcement on Wednesday 28 June on the Big Build website, mentioned the $171 million-dollar contract comprising Fulton Hogan Construction, Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM) and the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP).
They’ve been contracted for Station Street Beaconsfield, Station Street, Officer and Progress Street Dandenong South.
The announcement came six days after the petition was tabled in Parliament, presented by State MP for Dandenong, Gabrielle Williams, on Thursday 22 June.
Andrew Hamer, managing director of Pakaflex located right next to the level-crossing said this step is a “disgrace.”
“It proves that they are just not listening to any feedback.
“This idea, of a cheap, nasty diversion down congested, narrow and twisty Fowler Road treats the local business community and the City of Greater Dandenong with utter contempt and disregard.
“Why does this crossing not warrant a proper solution?”
Businesses had asked Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan for a moratorium pending a safety review by the LXRP but now feel totally sidelined.
According to the businesses, the level-crossing on Progress Street is not dangerous and not congested at all.
Reports from Freedom of Interest (FOI) also state that the current level-crossing risks are “low” and “negligible”.
“The closure of Progress Street will create so many more safety and congestion issues than the low risk that the crossing actually currently poses,” Mr Hamer said.
Businesses are in support of an underpass/overpass solution or any other solution which will not divert their A and B Double trucks down Fowler Road.
“This plan is dangerous. It will put a huge volume of over-dimensional and heavy trucks and postie bicycles crossing 30 heavy goods driveways on a narrow twisty road.
“It is dangerous and will result in deaths or injuries.”
Meanwhile, the project will see permanent closure of the level-crossing and instead divert all traffic along Fowler Road onto South Gippsland Hwy.
A road bridge is proposed by Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP), which will connect Progress Street and Fowler Road in the busy industrial precinct.
Colin Smith from JDN Monocrane said the LXRP has the “very potential to take lives.”
“The depots in Progress Street and Nathan Road, including Australia Post, dispatch more than 5,600 trucks per day, all of which will go onto an already-congested Fowler Road.
“Fowler Road is already full, and Progress Street takes four times the traffic of Fowler Road. This extra traffic will make Fowler Road extremely dangerous – for every truck on there now you will soon have five,” he said.
“We are worried for the safety of our staff and everyone who uses Fowler Road if this proposal goes ahead.”
Businesses say their pleas seem to have fallen on deaf ears at the LXRP.
“The amazing petition response totally rejecting the LXRP proposal demonstrates the entire community disapproval of LXRP’s dangerous unwarranted and unwanted level-crossing closure,’ Mr Smith said.
“LXRP is aware of the petition and the overwhelming rejection of the ‘stakeholders’ and yet they ignore it completely.”
Dandenong MP Ms Williams said the LXRP has engaged extensively with businesses which also includes one-on-one discussions while she also facilitated “significant engagement” with businesses and LXRP representatives.
“My advocacy led to several group meetings held and more safety assessments done to assuage the concerns of local businesses.
“I believe most people in the community accept that boom gates are a relic of the past. We have seen state-wide, the benefits of level crossing removals – those benefits go to safety and to improved road and rail commute times,” she said.
According to her, an independent safety audit will be completed as part of the next phase.
“I have confidence in the engineering expertise of the very significant LXRP who have so far delivered over 70 level crossing removals around the state.”
Mr Hamer says that independent safety audit is just another government department reviewing the other.
“There is no genuine independent safety review at all. Proper independent safety reviews would have thrown out this option as unworkable years ago.
“We must have a genuine safety audit of this project by someone that is without fear of favour. It won’t be allowed of course, because it won’t pass”.
AusPost, which is also located in the area, has also been in contact with LXRP.
“Australia Post continues to work with LXRP, which has asked us for information on our operational needs as part of its design and planning process for the level crossing removal works at Progress Street in Dandenong South,” an Australia Post spokesperson said.
Liberal South-East MP Ann-Marie Hermans has spoken four times on this pressing issue this year in the Parliament, twice raising an adjournment matter on 22 March and 1 June.
“I have had countless people contacting my office desperate to have these works halted.
“Why won’t this Government talk to people and find a mutually acceptable solution rather than steamroll people into unnecessary dangerous conditions?
“The residents of my electorate in Dandenong deserve better and have suffered enough already with the Government’s reckless disregard in relation to cost of living, school taxes and now dangerous traffic congestion issues,” she said.
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan answered Ms Herman’s adjournment on 22 March by saying, “I acknowledge the Member for South Eastern Metropolitan Region’s position to scrap this project, however the Andrews Labor Government will not agree to keep this dangerous and congested level crossing in place.
“We are getting on with the job and ensuring that locals can get where they need to go quickly and safely in Melbourne’s south-east.
“Early works on this project are set to begin in mid-2023, with the Progress Street level crossing to be gone for good by 2025.”
Mr Hamer is concerned that Greater Dandenong Council and businesses will be left to deal with the aftermath if works were to be completed, as according to him, there’s no contingency plans from the LXRP.
“The Government is so invested in ‘getting it done’ that common sense and good process have gone out the window.
“We’re behind schedule – so just award contracts, get it built and then we’ll sort out the minor issues like safety and congestion later. It’s not good enough. We need a better solution”.
Greater Dandenong Council director of major projects, Paul Kearsley said the council was aware of the safety concerns raised by the community.
“It is the responsibility of the Victorian Government’s Level Crossing Removal Project team to inform the community of its progress and the potential impacts, and to respond to any concerns raised.
“Victorian Government’s Level Crossing Removal Project team is currently finalising the first draft designs. Council engineers will review the designs to ensure they suitably address recent feedback regarding safety.
“Council will continue to advocate to assist local businesses so the Victorian Government and the Level Crossing Removal Project team are aware of their concerns.”
