Thursday, 5 October 2023

Preston electorate level crossing removals

Nathan LAMBERT (Preston) (17:11): (366) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Transport Infrastructure, and the action I seek is for the minister to visit Preston and Reservoir to see the progress that has been made on our local level crossing removals. As the minister will know, this Labor government has already removed the infamous level crossing at the junction of High Street and Cheddar Road in Reservoir. I note the member for Thomastown is here, who knew that former infamous intersection well. People had complained about it for several decades, with good reason really, ever since the old railways department closed the McCrae Street underpass. In my inaugural speech members might remember I touched on the fact that this Labor government was the first government really in all that period to do something substantial about it, removing the crossing and substantially improving traffic flow and pedestrian safety. And then in 2022, as the minister also knows, we removed four of the five level crossings in Preston. There is one to go in Regent Street, but four of them are gone, and in their place we have new bike paths, new parks, and most notably, brand new train stations. The whole project has been a great success, and of course we recognise the contribution of the former minister and now Premier to that project.

However, as the new minister will no doubt be aware, there is still some work in train on that particular project. As part of the action we are seeking, we hope to take him down to the Emery Street and Herbert Street ends of that project where some of the landscaping decisions are still being made. We also hope to give him a tour of the immediate surrounds of Preston station itself, which of course are home to Preston Market but are also home to some lots that may well be good locations for new housing, as part of our landmark housing statement. Then finally, if we do get time, we will take him up Thomastown direction to the Keon Parade level crossing removal project, where I and the member for Thomastown have often visited – a great project. In fact as we speak I think right now the beams are being put in place for the bridge across Keon Parade.

I noted during the September recess that it has in fact been 50 years since Jim Simmonds, the former member for Reservoir, first suggested that that station should move to the south side of Keon Parade, and of course it is this Labor government that is also finally getting that done. We have done some amazing work generally with new train stations in the northern suburbs. As the member for Pascoe Vale knows, if we look at Moreland station or Coburg station, Preston station or Bell station, they are not only great transport facilities but architectural and cultural and environmental contributions to their communities, and we very much hope that the new Keon Park station will be the same. I note the advocacy of April Edwards and David and Sam at All Heart Cafe. A lot of locals there are looking forward to the revitalisation of Johnson Street and the bolstering of that part of the world as part of this new project, and we hope that the minister will be able to get along and see how our level crossing removal project will contribute to that. We thank him for his consideration.