What's Happening

Dear Resident, I'm getting in touch to let you know after weighing up expert advice and following extensive community consultation the Hove Level Crossing Removal Project will not be proceeding. Instead the Marshall Liberal Government will now focus on a Ten Year Level Crossing Removal Program that will prioritise and identify the highest priority level crossings for removal. The detailed analysis of both the rail-over and rail-under design options found the least costly of the two would be around $120 million more than the available budget. The current budget allocation of $171 million is inadequate to remove the level crossing with the rail-over option estimated to cost $290 million and the rail-under cost estimated to cost $450 million.

Dear Resident, Given your interest in the Hove Level Crossing Removal Project, I wanted to give you an update and clear up some misinformation that has been circulating in our local community. Firstly, let me be really clear... no decision has been made on which solution is best for this problem nor has procurement commenced for the design and construction for the project. As you’d be aware, grade separations of road and rail are a key safety focus of the National Rail Safety Regulator and as such we have been looking at how we can make this crossing and its surrounds safer. In February 2021 Infrastructure Australia (IA) released the Infrastructure Priority List which included “Adelaide Level crossings congestion and safety” priority initiative that identifies the priority for removal through Grade separation. The Hove Level Crossing has around 35,000 vehicles through it each day and the boom gates are down around 20% of the time during the peak. With development and a growing population along the coast these numbers are only predicted to increase.

As you’re probably aware the Department for Infrastructure and Transport is still consulting on the Hove Level Crossing Removal Project. If you haven’t taken the survey please do so before this Friday’s closing date on 5 March 2021.

As part of the Hove Level Crossing Project, survey and geotechnical investigation works will be undertaken on side streets adjacent the rail corridor and Brighton Road commencing Thursday 18 February 2021, until late March 2021.

Thanks again to those who attended the recent Hove Crossing drop-in sessions and for taking the time to share your feedback and suggestions with the Department of Infrastructure and Transport's project team. If you have any further suggestions or feedback, you can submit them to the Department's project team here or complete a survey here.

You can now register to attend one of the Hove Crossing 45-minute 'drop in' sessions at the Brighton Football Club (410 Brighton Rd, Brighton). Click here to register for the following dates.

As you'd be aware, congestion on Brighton Road is a problem in our community and has been for a number of decades now. More than 34,000 vehicles use this road everyday and the boom gates at Hove Crossing are down for more than 20 percent of the time during peak periods. That means noise pollution, air pollution, traffic delays and safety concerns for pedestrians and cyclists on Brighton Road. We need a solution to fix this problem that will benefit our entire community.

The Department for Infrastructure and Transport has been working for a number of months on evaluating all the options and finding the best solution for Fixing Brighton Road - Hove Crossing. Community and stakeholder engagement continues to be an important part of the planning process in deciding road over, road under, rail over or rail under.A number of the most immediately impacted residents will already have been engaged by the Department. This engagement will be opened to the broader community, including residents, business owners and other community stakeholders to ensure their views help inform the project's final design.

The Department for Infrastructure and Transport has been working for a number of months on evaluating all the options and finding the best solution for Fixing Brighton Road - Hove Crossing, including road over, road under, rail over and rail under concepts. You may have noticed drilling at various locations along the corridor throughout the year, these geotechnical and ground water testing works form part of the early design evaluation process. From here the Department is continuing to further engage with the community and key stakeholders – this will continue over the coming weeks and into the New Year.

Since coming into the role as Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, I have asked the Department for an update on the work being done on the Hove Level Crossing Removal Project. As you would no doubt be aware, there was some initial consultation with the community and train commuters which was then taken into consideration by the Department as they commenced the initial concept design. That work will hopefully be completed by the end of the year. All options are being considered for the best solution, including rail over, rail under, road over and road under.