Calls for level-crossing work fall flat A VicRoads report calling for the removal of three level-crossings on the Dandenong train corridor has been ignored by the Government. Picture: Steven Crabtree Source: Leader A VICROADS report calling for the immediate removal of three level-crossings on the congested Dandenong train corridor has been ignored by the State Government. The Herald Sun can reveal the agency said in October 2011 the nightmarish crossings at Clayton, Koornang and Murrumbeena roads must be grade separated "now" to reduce gridlock. But planning money has been allocated only to the Murrumbeena Rd hot spot, prompting the RACV and the Public Transport Users Association to call for immediate action. The Government said it was implementing Melbourne's largest level-crossing removal program and had asked the Federal Government to help fund the Dandenong Rail Capacity project. Reports obtained under Freedom of Information laws analysed boom-gate closures during peak periods and the theoretical road capacity at nine crossings along the booming corridor. They found: BOOM gates at Koornang Rd were closed for about 40 minutes of peak hour, and about 37 minutes at Murrumbeena Rd and Clayton Rd; EXTREME events, which closed boom gates for more than five minutes at a time, happened about once a day; SEVEN crossings had to be removed by 2020, even if short and medium-term solutions such as signalling upgrades, removing seats from trains, nine-carriage trains and road improvements were implemented; and RAIL-under-road grade separation was expected to be most beneficial. RACV manager roads and traffic Dave Jones said the three crossings needed to be grade separated as soon as possible. "The Murrumbeena Rd level-crossing has been the No.1 red spot in Victoria for the past six years," Mr Jones said. PTUA president Tony Morton said the organisation had called for Dandenong corridor crossings to be removed for a decade. The Government committed to removing five crossings in its first term - two in Mitcham, two in Sunshine and one in Springvale. Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder said the Government had sought federal funding for the project. "So far, they have preferred to fund four grade separations in Adelaide, rather than in Victoria," he said.