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Melbourne motorists waiting hours in traffic for peak hour trains: study

Xinhua, May 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

Melbourne's commuter train level crossings are among the worst in the world, forcing motorists to wait for trains for up to three quarters of the morning peak-hour period, according to a recent study.

The Victorian government released on Wednesday results of the study into level crossing wait times around Melbourne, and found that traffic on some of the busiest roads had to wait for trains for up to 90 minutes in every two-hour peak period.

State Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said on Thursday the study of 17 hot spots supported the government's decision to pour 1.91 billion U.S dollars into removing the 20 worst intersections before 2018.

She said the outdated level crossing system was proving a danger to frustrated motorists, pedestrians and train commuters.

"That's why we're removing every level crossing between Caulfield and Dandenong," she said in a statement.

"Removing these congested death traps will relieve pressure on local roads and allow us to run more trains and carry more people.

"Whether you travel by car, bus or train, removing our worst level crossings will get you to work and back home safer and sooner."

Melbourne's suburban train system doesn't run underground or above street level such as other rapid transit systems around the world, meaning both trains and cars have to share some intersections.

The city's Eastern suburbs were the worst affected, with at least four crossings forcing motorists to wait more than two in every three minutes of the peak period, while 10 of the 17 crossings studied were engaged for one in every two minutes or 50 percent of the time.

Allan said that work on the project would start immediately, with 240 million U.S dollars set aside to remove the first three crossings in the next financial year.

State treasurer Tim Pallas said on Wednesday the project would result in "profound" returns for taxpayers.

Removing 50 level crossings over the next decade was one of the state government's flagship projects put to Victoria taxpayers in their state budget announced on Tuesday. Endi