Tuesday, 30 April 2024

Ringwood East level crossing removal

Nick McGOWAN (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (19:18): (851) My adjournment matter concerns a level crossing removal project so therefore is for the Minister for Transport Infrastructure Danny Pearson. I have had the good fortune of spending quite a bit of time there over these last few months and consulting and speaking with the local community, including of course local residents, our senior citizens and even nearby schools.

I recently also had the opportunity to look at a number of issues concerning that particular project with the Ringwood East Traders Association and their president Helen Johnston. One of the concerns that Helen and the East Ringwood Traders Association have is one of the slip lanes. It appears that as you come from Dublin Road headed towards the shops, while you currently have a left-hand turning lane – that is, a slip lane; you do not have to wait for the traffic light, thank goodness – the proposal on foot as it stands currently would actually have a traffic light there: a red or green arrow. This is of some concern to the local traders, and for good reason, because of course what we want to continue to have when the works are finished is a slip lane that enables the traffic along Dublin Road to turn at ease. That would also of course mean that the other traffic, which is bound either to Ringwood Secondary College or to Eastwood Primary School and Deaf Facility, continues to travel unimpeded. That is really important.

Therefore I would like the minister to take up the suggestion of the Ringwood East Traders Association and the locals and ensure that when the works are finalised that important slip lane remains. We would also like the minister, in addition to ensuring that a slip lane remains, to shed some light on the future of the land – and it is currently held by VicTrack – adjacent to the shops where it intersects with Railway Avenue and Dublin Road. It is a sizeable portion of land. It will be made all the more sizeable once the underpass is complete. It is an important community asset. I would like to call now for the minister to ensure that he has a thorough process of community and public consultation. There are potentially very many uses. I am well aware that there would be a number, indeed hundreds, in the order of 460 new car parks at that train station when it is finalised, and that is in addition to – for those who are listening tonight or are not local to my seat of Ringwood – something in the order of 23,000 car movements along that street. Therefore it is critical to ensure that whatever the future purpose of that land is, it is in the community’s best interests. That being the case, I will leave those matters with the minister, and I look forward to his timely response not only to myself of course but to the local community in Ringwood.