Hobsons Bay City Council is urging the state government to rethink the closure of Champion Road as part of its level crossing removal program and consider alternatives to funnelling traffic down already busy and congested local roads.
At Tuesday night's Council meeting, Council voted to support a motion moved by Cr Peter Hemphill that:
opposes any broad geographical area of planning controls be put in place by the state government for the Level Crossing Removal Project's (LXRP) Champion Road and Maddox Road level crossing removals.
opposes any take-over of Quarry Reserve tagging point for Champion Road and/or Maddox Road level crossing removal projects.
opposes any loss of public carparking on Ross Road – currently used as an overflow carpark for the Newport Mosque – for use by the LXRP.
given the level of planned LXRP work within Hobsons Bay, Council communicates a public campaign opposing the closure of Champion Road, presenting alternatives and advocating for the reinstatement of a train station in Altona North (former Paisley station) on the Werribee train line.
As a major thoroughfare between Newport West and Williamstown, Champion Road's closure would cause significant disruption between the two suburbs and further overload already congested routes along Mason Street in Newport and Maddox Road in Newport/Williamstown.
Council is working with its level crossing community interest group and local community groups, as well as meeting with major project stakeholders, including Mobil and Viva Energy, to inform alternative plans to urge the Victorian Government and the LXRP to consider alternatives to closing Champion Road.
Council is asking the state government to pause the proposed plans to close Champion Road and bring forward works on the other level crossings scheduled for removal.
Council is urging residents to provide their feedback to the Level Crossing Removal Project team about Maddox and Champion roads by 9 June 2024 at Engage Victoria.
Quotes attributable to Mayor of Hobsons Bay, Cr Matt Tyler:
"Council is opposed to closing Champion Road and, together with many others across our community, has expressed its opposition to the closure since shortly after the plans were announced in October 2022 with a lack of prior consultation.
"We are calling on the state government to pause planning on the proposed closure of Champion Road until more technical assessments can be completed and alternative options can be more thoroughly explored in consultation with our community.
"This is a significant part of our local road network and the effect of this road closure will greatly impact local businesses and community members going about their daily lives, with major implications for traffic flow in the area.
"Council is also seeking investment in its longstanding advocacy effort to reinstate a train station in Altona North, the former Paisley station."
Photo: Victorian Government
