The below was an email sent to the President. This is merely passing on information and does not represent a preference of the LRA either way. I would encourage all Lynbrook residents to think seriously about your vote on Saturday. Voting is your way to directly influence the government of this country. 

Ricardo_4_HOLT_FINAL.pdf

Open letter to Lynbrook/Lyndhurst residents and traders...Lets get the design correct...

In regard to Aylmer Road Lynbrook, discussion needs to be up front on if the current layout of the road/ proposed station and crossing is adequate. Planning needs to incorporate resident concern, not simply presented after the decision made.

I personally have concerns that the best option will not be implemented. As a former councillor for the area I actively ensured council funding was budgeted and also put on the agenda the need to re-align and redesign the precinct to ensure an underpass could be built.

In its current design I do not believe an underpass can be constructed and a level crossing, as currently planned, will see boom gates closed more than not, resulting in traffic backed up for kilometers. Imagine this every 5 to 10 minutes during peak hour, especially when the line is duplicated. A further annoyance will be the ding dongs that go with a signalized rail crossing every time trains come and go. Now is the time to ensure professional design.

Assurances need to be given to locals that the crossing at Aylmer Road will be an underpass, because, if not, the retrospective works to fix this intersection may take another generation to fund.

If the road is to be opened, as it should, the entire design needs to accommodate an underpass, future rail line duplication, and locals need to be involved and told of the problems that will occur if the road crossing is not an underpass, and also how an underpass could be designed and where it would be built. Underpasses take enormous amounts of space--so they need to be designed carefully to incorporate area amenity.

All our elected representatives need to hold public meetings and write to all home owners inviting public comment on an appropriate design, that will be safe, and one which ensures Aylmer Road will not become a traffic bottleneck with annoying noisy signalized boom gates echoing throughout the suburb from first train, to last train, from early morning, until late into the evenings. Our elected reps need to know what the public want, to ensure relevent planning departments have funding that will ensure station design which protects residents from a noisey, crime plagued, dirty station that detracts from area amenity.

Let's not forget this line will one day be extended through to Cranbourne East and beyond adding to rail traffic, and has yet to be ruled out as a freight line to the Port of Hastings. Stations also generate an enormous amount of traffic movement through on-site parking.

It is vitally important residents be consulted on the entire design for this rail station precinct. Car parking, Alymer road, freight trains and rail duplication plans all need to be canvassed with locals. After all locals deserve to be put first? Don't they?

Steve Beardon.
Former councillor representing Lynbrook, Lyndhurst, Cranbourne.