Transport Infrastructure Minister Danny Pearson was heckled by angry locals today, who shouted “shame on you” as he opened the new Keon Park Station near Thomastown.
The original station was ground level but was redeveloped as part of the level-crossing works on Keon Parade.
The station was rebuilt on elevated tracks, which is now metres from the balconies of residents.
“We think it’s great the rail crossing has been removed but we have gone from a single-car garage-looking train station to something that looks like the Taj Mahal,” resident Angela Villella said.
“My bedroom at night, the light comes through and it’s very bright.
“Bright lights 24/7 is a torture tactic in Guantanamo Bay and we’ve got it here in Keon Park, can you believe it?”
Villella questioned whether this would have happened if the electorate wasn’t a safe Labor seat.
Pearson told media today the government had been “honest and upfront” with the community about the station.
“Level crossings are always disruptive, and as we’ve seen time and time again – the pain is always worth it,” he said.
A buyback scheme is in place for residents who own eligible apartments within the building, but many said it wasn’t good enough.
“All we’ve asked them is to install double-glazed windows or triple-glazed windows for us to combat the noise and to cover our balconies with some kind of retractable shades so it protects our privacy,” resident Goran Torbakov said.
The government said discussions with impacted residents were still ongoing.