Despite the Brisbane City Council offering to foot half the bill for critical upgrades to rail crossings in Brisbane, the State Government has refused to make it safer for motorists.

This is a decision that locals are telling me may one day cost a life.

Last Monday’s (25.06.09) rail-crossing accident on Telegraph Road is the twelfth in nearly as many months.  What is it going to take for the Bligh Labor Government to act?

I have taken these local concerns directly to Parliament on two occasions; unfortunately there seems to be little action despite the importance of the issue.

I posed a Question on Notice to the Transport Minister on 20th May 2009 regarding delayed commuter services, and furthermore, during a speech on the recent State Budget I highlighted the issue again when I said:

“We need to remove the rail crossing urgently and build a road overpass that will allow cars to pass freely over the railway line….

….the State Government has indicated that it will not even consider funding of this important project until at least 2015. That means that there will be no change to the traffic build-up that currently occurs and no improvement to this safety hazard…”

Unfortunately, on mentioning this dangerous intersection during my speech, all I received was abuse, ridicule, and mockery from Government members.

This lack of commitment is putting lives at risk.  Instead of taking from Queenslanders, it is about time the Bligh Government started giving back.

The responsible thing for Ministers Nolan and Wallace to do is to commit to upgrading these crossings to prevent a fatality.

Recently I toured the dangerous intersection with Fiona Simpson, Shadow Minister for Main Roads and Transport.  Between 1,500 and 2,000 vehicles per hour travel through the corridor, with daily numbers of vehicles reaching up to 20,000.