By Callum Ludwig
After a Wandin North crash took the life of a man over the weekend, concerns continue to be raised regarding the safety of our roads.
Wandin Fire Brigade members alone have attended two incidents that have caused fatalities this year and were dismayed at the lack of action with 25 incidents in their records at the notorious Wellington Rod and Clegg Road intersection since 2020 alone.
Evelyn MP Bridget Vallence said we keep asking what will it take for the government to fix these known dangerous roads and intersections.
“Tragically, in the past month, three people have lost their lives on Yarra Valley roads. How many more deaths before the government takes seriously the need to upgrade the many known dangerous roads through the Yarra Valley?” she said.
“The Department of Transport has accident statistics and should be doing vastly more. It’s completely unacceptable their failure to allocate any funding for road safety upgrades across the Yarra Valley.”
Ms Vallence has previously called on the government to upgrade the Clegg and Wellington Roads intersection back in 2021.
Ms Vallence said she has been regularly raising multiple road issues in Parliament or via official communications with the Roads Minister.
“I have repeatedly called on the government to upgrade Maroondah Highway Coldstream and Warburton Highway Seville East, where there has been a fatality, but still there is no action. Last week I called on the government to help fix Queens Road, Wandin East where a few weeks ago a Hawthorn woman and a Mooroolbark man tragically lost their lives,” she said.
“After I appealed to Yarra Ranges Council CEO to fix Queens Road, I understand some minor road markings will now be implemented in coming weeks; but so far such measures have been inadequate and I’ll keep campaigning for more to be done.”
The Department of Transport and Planning (DOTP) holds the jurisdiction for the Warburton Highway and Clegg Road while Beenak Road, Queens Road and Wellington Road are the responsibility of Yarra Ranges Council.
“We’ve previously installed rumble strips and advanced warning signs at the intersection of Clegg Road and Wellington Road, and we will work with the Department of Transport on further treatments for this intersection,” the Acting Director of Built Environment and Infrastructure at Yarra Ranges Council Kim O’Connor said.
“Our thoughts are with those affected by the recent crash at the intersection of Wellington and Clegg roads. We work closely with Victoria Police to understand the circumstances around each incident,” a DOTP spokesperson said.
There are multiple signs on Wellington and Clegg Road warning motorists of the upcoming intersection.
“Local emergency services workers from CFA and Police have suggested a sensible short-term measure would be to install flashing lights to help alert drivers ahead of these poor visibility intersections or make upgrades such as roundabouts,” said Ms Vallence.
“Ultimately, the local emergency services first responders as well as residents and local farming businesses should be consulted without delay by Council and the state government so that their insights and experience driving these roads can be included in any upgrades.”
