For many Narangba locals, waiting at the rail crossing has become an unavoidable part of a daily routine that tests patience, burns fuel, and eats into time.
But for Haley Riches, a mum and small business owner, another morning held up at the boom gates was enough to spark a call for change.
“I’d crossed the tracks four times a day for day care and school runs for over a year,” she said. “One morning, we were running late again. I was yelling at the lights, my kids were in the back seat, and I just thought, ‘This isn’t who I want to be.’ I don’t want my girls growing up thinking we just accept things that don’t work. I want them to see that if something’s broken, you can do something about it.”
Haley started a petition to fix the Narangba rail crossing, and the response has been overwhelming. As of early August, more than 3000 people had signed, with new names being added daily.
Petition Gains Momentum and Community Support
The petition calls for major infrastructure improvements, including the possibility of building two new bridges as a potential way forward. One could be a widened and repositioned bridge on Boundary Road, designed to safely accommodate heavy quarry traffic. The second, proposed for the Oakey Flat Road end of Main Street, could improve overall flow and reduce the need for risky right-hand turns across the tracks.
“I’m not a traffic engineer, nor a town planner,” Haley said. “I just want the traffic to move safely and sensibly. Right now, the intersection just can’t cope.”
And she’s not the only one who thinks so. Since launching the petition, Haley has met with Member for Kurwongbah Shane King, who plans to table it in Parliament. Further meetings also followed with City of Moreton Bay Councillor Mark Booth and Member for Longman Terry Young.
Support from the community has been strong, both online and face-to-face. Locals have shared stories of accidents, missed shifts, late school runs and constant stress. One resident even made and installed a dozen signs promoting the petition at the intersection. Only two remain, but Haley hopes to print more to keep the conversation going, especially with non-locals who pass through the area daily.
And there’s a sense of urgency growing. With the Cross River Rail set to be operational by 2029, the number of trains (and boom gate closures) will increase dramatically.
“If we’re struggling now, what’s it going to be like in four years when train traffic increases?” Haley said. “We have to act now. Waiting until 2029 will be too late.
“This issue is clearly affecting a lot of people. It’s not just inconvenient, it’s dangerous. I’m really worried that we’ll see a fatality before real change is made.”
Visit Upgrade the Narangba Rail Crossing to End Daily Traffic Chaos to support the petition.
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