Solution needed before more accidents, says Harris

The NSW Shadow Minister for the Central Coast, Mr David Harris, said the Rawson Rd level crossing was "a tragedy waiting to happen".

He said if the NSW Government was not prepared to support Council and build the underpass, the State Government and Council had to come up with another solution to the current crossing before more accidents occurred.

"Sadly, this follows another death a few years ago when a man attempted to turn right out of Railway St into Rawson Rd and ended up on the tracks," Mr Harris said.

Mr Harris said the NSW Government's withdrawal from the project was "a total disappointment".

He said it was no surprise the pedestrian underpass which cost so much money was not being used.

Mr Harris said he had visited the site with Shadow Minister for Roads, Ms Jodi McKay, in recent months.

"While we were standing there, people were not using the pedestrian underpass and were just walking across the level crossing," Mr Harris said.

He said he believed the pedestrian underpass had been designed and located to work hand-in-hand with the "new intersection" for Railway St and Rawson Rd that would have been built as part of stage two of the level crossing replacement project.

"The new intersection would create a barrier to the rail line and would force people to use the pedestrian underpass."

Interview, 17 Jan 2017

David Harris, Shadow Minister for the Central Coast

Reporter: Jackie Pearson