11/06/2026
The following letter has been sent to the HBCC CEO and Mayor.
I will continue to advocate for all in this area always.
Gill
Dear CEO and Mayor,
I am writing on behalf of the Newport Traders Association, our local businesses, and the broader Newport community to express our deep frustration, disappointment and anger regarding the planned closure of Maddox Road commencing next Monday for a period of two weeks.
This decision will have significant and far-reaching consequences for our community. Parents attempting to get their children to school, residents travelling to work, business owners trying to keep their doors open, customers attempting to access local businesses, and school children attending after-school and extracurricular activities will all be adversely affected.
The closure of Maddox Road will inevitably force traffic onto Melbourne Road, Millers Road, Kororoit Creek Road, Mason Street and surrounding local roads, placing an already strained transport network under enormous pressure. The resulting congestion will create widespread disruption across Newport and neighbouring suburbs.
What makes this situation even more unacceptable is that this is the second time our community has been asked to endure this closure.
During the previous closure, we were assured that it would be the only time such a significant disruption would occur. We were also promised that Champion Road would remain open until the very end of the level crossing project to minimise the impact on residents, businesses and road users. Those commitments now appear to have been abandoned.
Furthermore, the previous closure occurred during school holidays, reducing the impact on local families and schools. This closure is taking place during a normal school term, when families, businesses and school children are trying to go about their daily lives. The impact will be substantially greater.
For four years, Newport businesses have been expected to absorb the consequences of decisions made without adequate consideration of their impact. We have endured repeated road closures, restricted access, traffic congestion and continual disruption to our ability to trade.
Small businesses have carried the financial burden while trying to keep their doors open and support local employment. Many are now at breaking point, and the community's goodwill has been exhausted.
Many traders are operating at a loss. Customer numbers have declined. Access issues continue to deter visitors. Small business owners are exhausted, financially strained and deeply concerned about their future.
We are calling on Hobsons Bay City Council to immediately step up and play a much stronger advocacy role on behalf of the community it represents.
Specifically, we ask Council to urgently advocate to the Level Crossing Removal Project and all relevant authorities for alternative construction arrangements, including consideration of overnight closures between 9:00pm and 5:00am, when traffic volumes are significantly lower and community impact would be substantially reduced.
This request is not unreasonable. It is a practical solution that balances the needs of the project with the needs of the people who live, work and operate businesses in Newport.
We are also extremely concerned about the implications for emergency services. During the previous closure period, a tragic fatality occurred on Kororoit Creek Road. The incident caused widespread gridlock throughout the surrounding road network and highlighted serious concerns about the ability of emergency responders to move efficiently through the area during periods of major traffic disruption.
The risks associated with creating such extensive congestion cannot be ignored.
Our community deserves better communication, better planning and stronger advocacy.
We are asking for immediate action.
We are asking for Council to publicly support affected residents and businesses.
We are asking for Council to urgently engage with project authorities to minimise the impact of these closures.
And most importantly, we are asking for Council to stand beside a community that has carried the burden of disruption for years and is now hurting.
Newport businesses are not asking for special treatment. We are simply asking for reasonable consideration, genuine support and leadership.
The time for passive observation has passed. We need action.
We look forward to your urgent response.
Yours sincerely,
Gill Gannon
