Locals living near a dangerous level crossing in Melbourne’s south-east say they were caught off guard by the state government’s decision to quietly push back much-needed removal works by three years.
Highett residents have long been promised level crossings on Highett Road and Wickham Road would be removed by 2029. But one sentence in this month’s state budget papers announced that would not happen until mid-2032.
Doug Klein, a local and president of the Highett Progress Association, was surprised and disappointed when he heard about the decision.
“We’ve been told again and again [it would be] 2029 … So it came as a bit of a shock,” Klein said. “Highett is going to be one of the areas hit with a big increase in housing and density … we’re carrying more than our share.”
The state government had previously advertised that all level crossings on the Frankston line, which services Highett station, would be removed by 2029. Following the brief budget announcement, the Big Build website and public signage were updated to reflect the revised completion date.
“Government cost deferral has been prioritised over resident safety and livability,” Klein said of the revised date.
But he said the crossings need to be closed as soon as possible because of serious safety and traffic issues, which are worsened by boom gates that close frequently and for long periods.
“[It] leads to frustration, and people do silly things,” he said. “They take risks … [A friend] saw someone yesterday running across the railway tracks on Highett Road in front of a train because they just got frustrated.”
The state government’s 2026-27 budget papers said the three-year delay would “realise construction efficiencies” and “minimise disruption for Frankston line passengers”.
A Victorian Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson said that the decision to defer the level crossing removal would ensure that nearby Suburban Rail Loop works could take place at a similar time.
“Aligning the Highett Road and Wickham Road level crossing removals with major works for Suburban Rail Loop in Cheltenham will reduce costs, minimise disruption for passengers, motorists and local businesses, and avoid disrupting the same communities twice,” they said.
For Klein, this reasoning doesn’t add up. “The two projects are next to each other, but they’re not really overlapping. It’s not like the lines connect … they’re just in the same neighbourhood.”
Bayside City Council mayor Debbie Taylor-Haynes said the decision to defer the essential works was disappointing.
“This delay not only prolongs the significant traffic congestion and safety risks faced by our community, but was also announced without any meaningful consultation or communication with council or residents – a pattern echoed in recent major planning decisions,” Taylor-Haynes said.
“We strongly urge the government to use this opportunity to develop a truly comprehensive rail solution that addresses the pressing issues of congestion, safety, noise, and the need for open space.”
While residents and the council are urging the crossing removal to be prioritised, nearby businesses offer a different perspective.
Steve Kingi, owner of Hawker Bar and Typhoon Vietnamese near Highett station, said prolonging the start of road closures and construction would support restaurants still struggling with the impacts of COVID-19 lockdown periods.
“All businesses would just like a little bit more time to recover, to prepare for an interruption,” Kingi said. “There is no support for business [during construction], you just have to grin and bear it.”
The state budget also announced the level crossing removal on Latrobe Street in Mentone would be delayed to mid-2032. But unlike residents in Highett, this community have long been calling for removal works to be cancelled.
Cheltenham resident Jenny, who did not wish to provide her last name, said that she was happy to hear about the three-year delay, believing that closing Latrobe Street will exacerbate existing traffic issues in the area.
“The traffic flow has just been terrible since the level crossing removals,” she said. “It’s an issue for everybody in the community.”
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