[Greens-Media] MLC Sue Pennicuik Vic - Bayside residents say no to Connex boom gate proposal

[Amanda.Sharp at parliament.vic.gov.au]

Thursday, 17 April 2008

Bayside residents say no to Connex boom gate proposal

Greens MLC, Sue Pennicuik presented a petition to parliament to day signed
by 1,524 Bayside residents calling for the immediate reopening of New St.
Hampton and the resumption of the manually operated railway gates. The
petition was organised by the 'Help Save the New Street Railway Gates'
group with the support and assistance of Bayside City councillor, Cr.
Kristen Stegley.

"The Bayside City Council and local residents have rejected Connex's bid to
consign our historic gates to an on-site museum display and install boom
gates in their place", said Ms Penniciuk.

Sue went on to say "This whole process has been mismanaged from the very
start. Connex closed New St last year after one of their trains collided
with the gates which they also operate, then took more than six months to
ask Bayside Council for permission to close the road – that should have
happened straight away", she said.

"Local residents and others are now left without access to Beach Road. This
is causing unnecessary traffic hazards and congestion on surrounding
streets", she said.

"The safety of railway crossings is vitally important and has been brought
to the fore with a number of tragic deaths at crossings over the last
twelve months. New Street gates have operated safely, without a death or
serious injury for many years. I believe the State government should
instruct Connex to install the safety interlocking system to make the
crossing even safer and re-open it without further delay. It should then
concentrate its efforts on the hundreds of other railway crossings in
Victoria that don't have lights, bells, booms or gates", Ms Pennicuik said.

For information or comment

Sue Pennicuik  0407 000 270

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