Keep Champion Road Open

17/08/2026

This is not my video, it was sent to me.
If you own it, please reach out so I can get permission and credit you.
But the important thing here is how confusing/dangerous/outrageous this is

Level Crossing Removal Project

06/08/2026

Another letter to parents from another business…

Similar message, same appalling
response.

Does the community mean anything to you?

Level Crossing Removal Project
Hobsons Bay City Council

06/08/2026

Multiple people have been in touch about the current situation around the businesses doing their best to operate in the Champion Road business precinct that is suffering terribly with the works.

These businesses and their customers are so affected, and when we hear that negotiations have fallen apart regarding them desperately trying to find ways to provide their customers with access, it is infuriating.

How about Level Crossing Removal Project and Hobsons Bay City Council
Do a better job of supporting these businesses.

They’ve been punished enough!!

21/07/2026

Maddox closing for another 2 weeks. You have got to be kidding
🤬🤬🤬

17/07/2026

If only this wasn’t satire…

NO CFMEU INVOLVED: The Victorian Liberal party have this morning revealed their intention to commission a report to supporting the call to bring back the level crossings.

Looking to pick up at least 16 seats at the upcoming election the Vic Libs are digging deep.

After weeks of cooking the Labor government for alleged corruption within Victoria's Big Build infrastructure projects the Liberals have decided to go a step beyond canning the current projects and look into reversing the completed projects.

One Liberal insider spoke with The Advocate about the party’s plan.

“If the party can make it to the election without suing itself out of existence that’s a win”

“As a party we’ve identified the importance of standing in the way of every major infrastructure project in the state but there’s always room for improvement”

“Bringing back the level crossings would create thousands of jobs and the traffic congestion that level crossings create would encourage more people to use the toll roads,” they said.

Though the report has not formally commenced the party may have already begun looking for construction hire organizations.

“Once the report is completed, the party will have a better idea of the logistics”

“But it’s blatantly clear from hiring unionised Labour is far too costly”

“If we hire non-unionised Labour who will work in when it’s pi***ng down or hot enough to fry an egg on the railway track the tax payer won’t pay a dime more than what we say they are worth,” they said with a disconcerting tone of excitement.

More to come.

23/06/2026

I just heard on Smooth FM news that Maddox is currently closed due to Level crossing removal works.
Level Crossing Removal Project please get your comms up to date. You have no idea how much this affects our business community.
🤬🤬🤬

23/06/2026

You may recall my recent letter to Hobsons Bay City Council. As it was sent on behalf of affected businesses, employees, customers and residents, it’s appropriate that I share their response.
I’ll keep you posted, but please continue to share your experiences with me so I can assist with advocacy. I understand how worn down many of you are.

I’m not, and will keep fighting. Always.

- Gill

Dear Ms Gannon,
Thank you for your letter dated 11 June 2026 to the Mayor and CEO regarding the upcoming
closure of Maddox Road, and for clearly outlining the concerns of the Newport Traders
Association, local businesses and the surrounding communities.
We acknowledge the disruption this closure will cause and understand the frustration, fatigue
and financial strain experienced by businesses and residents throughout the Level Crossing
Removal Project. We appreciate the resilience shown by the community during this time.
We also acknowledge the key concerns you have raised, including:
• The impact on local businesses, customer access, and declining trade
• Increased congestion across surrounding roads and the broader transport network
• The timing of this closure during the school term
• Previous expectations regarding project staging and road availability
• Risks associated with emergency services access during periods of significant
congestion
Hobsons Bay City Council is actively advocating on behalf of the community and has formally
requested that VIDA Roads LXRP provide additional support to residents and businesses
affected by the Maddox Champion Road Level Crossing Removal Project. With upcoming road
closures, Council is seeking to minimise the impact on the community as best we can.
Council has specifically requested that VIDA Roads LXRP:
• Consider alternative construction arrangements, including overnight closures between
9:00 pm and 5:00 am where feasible when traffic volumes are lower. This would
reduce impacts on residents, businesses, and road users.
• Implement the recommendations of council’s submission to work with traders and
businesses to minimise impacts resulting from the Project.
In our discussions with LXRP, Council has reinforced the impact road closures, restricted access
and traffic congestion have had on the community from these works. In addition, Council is
seeking further clarity from VIDA Roads LXRP on the following:
• Whether any further road closures are planned as part of this project
• The indicative timing of any future closures
• What assurances can be provided regarding proactive communication with Council.
Council will continue to advocate for improved planning, communication and practical
mitigation measures to reduce the impact on traders, residents, schools and the broader
community.
We want to assure you that Council is actively engaging with project authorities for solutions
that better balance community wellbeing with project delivery.

(*signed by the A/Director of City Services and Infrastructure)

13/06/2026

Anyone else get one of these?

This participant advised that they gave an honest and true rating extremely dissatisfied to the questions with a follow up phone call with the research team confirming that is the consensus so far.

I’ll be interested to hear how this survey is being used by the project team.

Maybe just filed in the bottom drawer 🤔

13/06/2026

Well, well, well….

This has just been delivered to some (but not all) in the neighborhood.

As a business owner, I’m yet to be told.

I don’t want to take all the credit, but I’m hoping this is the outcome of the letter I sent.

Gill

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