Boom gates at some of Melbourne's busiest level crossings are down for more than two-thirds of the morning peak, leaving motorists stranded in traffic for hours every day.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
An analysis of the 17 level crossings identified for removal by Labor in its first budget shows motorists are stuck at boom gates for a combined 16 hours during the two-hour morning peak, causing massive disruption and costs.
Crossings on the Dandenong corridor where particularly bad. The boom gate at Koornang Road in Carnegie was found to be down for a maximum of 87 minutes between 7am and 9am, or an extraordinary 72.5 per cent of the time.
Boom gates on Clayton Road were down for 82 minutes, or 68.3 per cent of the time, while Centre Road in Clayton boom gates were down for 75 minutes, or 62.5 per cent of the morning peak.
Treasurer Tim Pallas predicted eliminating the need for boom gates would result in "profound" returns for taxpayers, particularly if construction costs could be minimised. Many of the individual grade separations are likely to produce at least $6 worth of benefits for every $1 invested.
Level crossing removals are a key part of the government infrastructure pitch, with a promise to eliminate 50 over two terms, including 20 by 2018 at a cost of about $2.4 billion.
Tuesday's budget identified 17 of these, including nine between Dandenong and Caulfield as part of an upgrade to the Cranbourne-Pakenham rail line flagged by the previous government.
Next financial year, $299 million has been allocated to eliminate four level crossings, with an unstated amount of money set aside to begin planning a further 13 and three of the 20 still completely unfunded.
The boom gate on Corrigan Road in Noble Park was down 72 minutes, with Heatherton Road, also in Noble Park, down 73 minutes.
On the Frankston line, the worst level crossing was McKinnon Road, down for a maximum of 48 minutes, or 40 per cent of the time, with Centre Road in Bentleigh down 38 minutes, or 31.6 per cent of the time.
Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said the figures painted a painful picture of the delay, distress and frustration being experienced by motorists every morning. "Removing these congested death traps will relieve pressure on local roads and allow us to run more trains and carry more people," Ms Allan said.
Labor is expecting to fund the plan by selling the Port of Melbourne. The policy is seen as vital to increase the capacity of the entire network, paving the way for the $11 billion metro rail project, which will allow more trains across the system.
