Residents voice fears of Panmure level crossing risk

Resident Glenda Hirth said she was concerned because when the gates, lights and bells at a Heath Marsh Road level crossing got stuck for periods of up to three hours, vehicles still went through.

She said milk tankers could not fit between the gates and had to back up and find an alternative route.

“You have to feel for the tankers, and also people who go to work who are left with no choice but to go through it illegally,” Ms Hirth said.

The boom gates got stuck on five separate occasions during one recent week, Ms Hirth said.

The issues with the level crossing have been caused by wet weather, according to V/Line.

This year, train detection equipment at level crossings on the Warrnambool line have been upgraded, making them more sensitive to water and causing them to operate unnecessarily at times.

Signalling engineers completed work on the Panmure level crossing just over a week ago to address the issue, the rail operator said.

V/Line spokeswoman Catalina Filip apologised to motorists for the inconvenience.

“Wet weather conditions are the main cause of this level crossing's boom gates being down for too long and we have worked to fix the issue,” she said.

After hearing from residents, South West Coast MP Roma Britnell raised the issue in parliament and wrote to Transport Minister Jacinta Allan about it.

Mrs Britnell said motorists’ lives were being put at risk navigating the gates when they got stuck.

“I’ve spoken with several residents who told me the biggest fear is that one day the gates will be down for the right reason and someone who is so used to the crossing malfunctioning will navigate their way through, ending in tragedy,” she said.

Mrs Britnell said the state government was too focused on improving safety at Melbourne level crossings.

This year, V/Line has been upgrading level crossings along the Warrnambool line as part of a $10 million state government package of works to improve safety following a collision near Colac in July 2016.