The great divide

By Jim Mynard
BERWICK Village Chamber of Commerce has again called for action to eliminate the Enterprise Avenue, railway line and Clyde Road layout, which is creating a serious traffic gridlock at Berwick.
Chamber president Michael Hall said the Gippsland railway line was splitting Berwick in two and must go underground.
He has called on the council to investigate the feasibility of redeveloping the railway line and the Clyde Road area.
“We have an enormous amount of floor space going to waste in that railway property and it divides the commercial area from the educational and hospital precinct,” he said.
Mr Hall told the chamber’s May meeting that the situation with Clyde Road and the railway line, plus the lack of parking, was the quickest way to keep people away from business in the village.
“We need to underground the railway and we can do that.”
He said other issues in the village such as waste and parking must be fixed.
“People should be able to get to the shopping centre, find a park and not be greeted with large rubbish bins.
“Business cannot double in the village because there is nowhere for twice as many people to park.
“We must attack these issues and the first should be the problem with the railway line.
“The railway line is a massive barrier to creation of something that could be so good.
“We have been promised improvements to Berwick since 1995, but it hasn’t happened so we now must attack these points and make the world listen,” he said.