By Cameron Lucadou-Wells
A GRADE separation project for Springvale Road level crossing appears to have been delayed in yesterday’s 2012-13 state budget.
With projected revenues down by more than $2 billion, treasurer Kim Wells announced the level crossing would be eliminated in four years – pushing back its expected completion from 2014 to 2015-16.
Next financial year, the government will put in $53.3 million towards three grade separations, including the Springvale level crossing.
This leaves $294 million of the $350 million project to be funded in the following three years.
The $74.6 million Dingley Arterial project has been similarly pushed out beyond its scheduled completion in early 2013.
Inthe budget, the arterial linking Perry and Springvale roads was funded for $16.3 million in the coming financial year, leaving $18.6 million to come after June 2013.
South Eastern Metropolitan Region Liberal MP Inga Peulich said she was ‘‘thrilled’’ that it had taken the government ‘‘just two years’’ to fund the projects.
She said the projects had been ‘‘left abandoned, neglected and forgotten by the former Brumby government for more than a decade”.
“The projects are ones that I have worked passionately with the local community to fight for funding in both opposition and now government.’’
Dandenong Labor MP John Pandazopoulos said it looked like the government was ‘‘stretching the capital works program over a longer period of time’’.
He said the Dingley project was the continuation of a ‘‘Labor project’’.
Mr Pandazopoulos said it was unclear from the budget papers how much would be allocated specifically to the Springvale grade separation and if it was an acceptable design.
Springvale Asian Business Association spokesman Stan Cheng said he was confident the long-awaited grade separation was still on track.
He said it was an important project for pedestrian safety and business opportunites, ending the divide between traders north and south of the railway line.
‘‘We’ve been fighting for it for 10 years. We have confidence that the [Greater Dandenong] council and the state government will be doing the right thing in providing a plan for the next 50-100 years.’’
Other budget announcements included:
* $7 million for planning and development of the Monash Children’s Hospital.
* $40.96 million toward the $155.7 million Dingley bypass, a four-lane divided arterial road between Warrigal and Westall roads.
* Forty-three new inpatient and care beds for mental health patients at Dandenong Hospital.
* Funding for an eating disorders day program unit at Monash Medical Centre.
* $1.27 million toward a $2.5 million upgrade at Dingley Primary School.
