By Belinda Nolan
BRIMBANK Council has promised to investigate safety along Calder Park Drive, amid fears hoon behaviour is putting the community at risk.
Residents and police have been lobbying the council to install safety barriers along the notorious black spot following a spate of accidents.
Caroline Springs Police appealed to both Brimbank and Melton Councils to intervene after a car crashed into a house last month, smashing through a fence.
Frustrated Hillside residents say they are sick and tired of hoons turning their road into a drag racing strip.
Hannah St resident Mary Doumitt said the recent crash marked the third time a car had crashed into her family’s home, sparking fears that someone could be injured.
“It’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt,” Ms Doumitt said.
“For this to happen once is bad enough, but for it to happen three times is just ridiculous.
“Clearly something needs to be done.”
Caroline Springs Senior Constable Mark Kendall said similar incidents often happened along the stretch of road.
He said he believed safety barriers should be installed to protect residents.
“It’s a safety issue because it happens quite often and someone could easily get hurt,” he said.
Brimbank Council has promised to take action, agreeing to investigate potential safety measures to address residents’ concerns.
The council has asked police to provide statistics on the number of accidents that have occurred along Calder Park Drive to help determine the best course of action.
Paul Younis, the council’s General Manager of Infrastructure and Environment said the council took the safety of residents seriously.
“We are aware that there is hooning along Calder Park Drive, which places the community at risk and in December raised the matter with Brimbank Highway Patrol, with a request to undertake enforcement action,” Mr Younis said.
But Mr Younis said the council did not consider safety barriers to be a suitable measure to control hoon behaviour.
Mr Younis said the council would work with VicRoads and police to improve safety along the accident-plagued road.
Meanwhile, police have cautioned a Keilor Park teenager who crashed into a house while on an illegal joyride.
The 15-year-old took his father’s car from their Flinders St home on Friday morning, but lost control of the vehicle soon after, smashing into a house in nearby Collinson St.
Police told the boy he could have been charged with unlicensed driving, careless driving and car theft but let him off with a warning.
No-one was was injured in the smash.
