FROM BOOM TO BUST
Faulty boom gates blamed for traffic pain across region Lara crossing down for two days 50 level crossings to go in Melbourne, none removed in Geelong
BOOMGATES are causing commuter headaches across the Geelong region with one faulty level crossing in Lara down for two days.
The State Government has refused to explain why Geelong has missed out on funding for level crossing removal, despite suburban Melbourne enjoying a spend-up.
Premier Daniel Andrews pledged to remove 50 level crossings prior to the 2014 election, none of which are located in the Geelong region.
More than 40 services between Geelong and Melbourne were either delayed or cancelled last month due to signal faults, track faults or track congestion.
V/Line this week apologised for the fault at the McIntyre Rd level crossing, north of Lara’s town centre.
Traffic management and signage has been in place since Tuesday and the road is expected to reopen today.
The state train service also apologised for the delays at Warncoort — between Winchelsea and Colac — with motorists delayed more than an hour some days due to faulty boomgates on the Princes Highway.
“Wet weather conditions are the main cause of these level crossings operating continuously and we are working to fix this as soon as possible, to get motorists on their way,” the V/Line spokeswoman said.
The Warncoort level crossing is set to disappear by 2019 with work on grade separation as part of the Princes Highway duplication between Colac and Winchelsea.
A spokeswoman for State Transport Minister Jacinta Allan declined to answer why no level crossings would be removed in the region.
Instead, she promoted the Government’s investment in level crossing upgrades.
“We’re getting on with upgrading 52 level crossings throughout regional Victoria to better protect passengers and the local community,” the spokeswoman said.
“This year alone 20 highrisk level crossings between Waurn Ponds and Warrnambool will be upgraded — the biggest investment in the level crossing upgrades ever seen on the Warrnambool line.”
Opposition transport spokesman David Hodgett said the State Government had ignored Geelong commuters.
“Daniel Andrews doesn’t see level crossing removals in and around Geelong as a priority,” Mr Hodgett said.
“It’s insulting that Daniel Andrews is happy to announce a level crossing removal in Werribee St, Werribee — one of Melbourne’s quietest level crossings — but snubs far busier crossings in Geelong.
“Daniel Andrews should explain to the people of Geelong why crossings such as at Surf Coast Highway, Grovedale, or Barwon Heads Road, Marshall, or Yarra St, South Geelong — to name a few — are not considered a priority by this Melbourne-centric Labor government.”
Several rural level crossings previously without signals, such as the Pirron Yallock intersection where a train partially derailed last year, are being upgraded as part of the program mentioned by the State Transport Minister.