Mr RICH-PHILLIPS (South Eastern Metropolitan) (19:10): I wish to raise a matter for the attention of the Minister for Roads and Road Safety in the other place which relates to the intersections of Nepean Highway, McLeod Road and Station Street in Carrum.
This is an area which has recently been subject to a level crossing removal, which perversely has created a very dangerous intersection under what was previously the railway line. The layout of that intersection is the Nepean Highway running north–south, with the railway line next to it, and Station Street running north–south, with McLeod Street at a right angle off to the east. With the recent completion of a level crossing removal, which raised that railway line above that intersection, McLeod Street was extended from Station Street under the railway line through to Nepean Highway and the intersection reopened.
Now, the addition of that section of McLeod Street and the creation of effectively a double intersection in very close proximity has caused considerable confusion and traffic disruption, with VicRoads failing to put in place appropriate traffic light sequences, appropriate traffic light cycle lengths, signage and markings.
This was foreseen by residents in the Patterson Lakes-Carrum area, with many of them noting that the government and VicRoads and the Level Crossing Removal Authority had failed to listen to local concerns about that intersection, had failed to listen to concerns about effectively three areas being combined into one, and had ignored repeated concerns raised by the local community.
Regrettably their concerns have come true, because on the 16th of this month a motorist was killed at that intersection where the level crossing removal took place. So perversely the removal of the level crossing and the change to that intersection has led to the death of a motorist—something which was predicted by the local community before the works were completed, something which was raised by the local community and something which was ignored by the government, and we have now as a consequence seen someone killed.
So the action I call on from the Minister for Roads and Road Safety is that he ensure that the light sequences are fixed, that the cycle times are lengthened so traffic can flow through and that signage and road markings are improved so that we can fix the deathtrap that has been created by this level crossing removal.