The Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has ramped up calls for work to be done on the Rawson Rd railway crossing following an incident on Friday, April 19.
A commuter train collided with a car at the Woy Woy crossing but no injuries were reported.
However, the incident has sparked a call for the NSW Government and Central Coast Council to collaborate on alternative solutions to the long-running debate over the dangerous crossing.
“Despite repeated requests from the Peninsula Chamber, neither Central Coast Council nor the State Government has made any substantive attempt to resolve the rail crossing dilemma,” Chamber President Matthew Wales said.
“On Friday night, April 19, we had yet another serious incident at the crossing, causing major disruptions to commuters and the local community.
“So far we have been fortunate that these repeated collisions haven’t caused a train derailment and all the awful consequences that that entails.
“Clearly both the State Government and the Council have put the project in the too hard basket and the community gets stuck with an ever-increasing safety problem that is only going to get worse.”
Wales said the intersection at the Rawson Rd rail crossing was becoming more congested and an increasing safety risk.
“This issue will now have an elevated importance following the NSW State Government’s decision to declare Woy Woy town centre a Transport Orientated Development (TOD) hub,” he said.
“In line with that decision, the Chamber wants the State Government and Central Coast Council to consider installing traffic lights on the Railway St and Rawson Rd legs of the intersection with traffic lights on the western side of the rail crossing to reduce the likelihood of further accidents.
“The existing rail crossing warning lights and boom gates should be retained as part of major synchronised upgrade of the intersection.”
Wales said the moves would improve traffic flow and safety both during normal traffic conditions and when the rail crossing was in operation.
“At the moment, navigating the intersection even when the rail crossing is not operating is becoming increasingly dangerous and is compounded during peak periods,” he said.
“We have to start putting in place a more feasible financial solution to the rail crossing replacement and stop procrastinating as to who is responsible.”