By ALESHA CAPONE
A MEMBER of the Albion Residents’ Group has called for traffic lights to be installed at the intersection of Perth Ave and Ballarat Rd.
Frank Reinthaler said he knew of around 20 people who had contacted VicRoads on the issue.
“It can be very bad, there have been accidents there,” he said.
“It’s just like something out of 50 years ago they haven’t fixed.
“We have a bus stop at Perth Ave, and no-one can get out of Perth Ave while driving, so we want lights there.”
Mr Reinthaler said motorists using a service road sometimes blocked the intersection and it could take several minutes to turn right out of Perth Ave.
He said since the Regional Rail Link project closed off King Edward Ave, traffic in Albion had steadily worsened.
VicRoads acting regional metro north west director, Sebastian Motta, said in the five years to 30 June 2013, the authority had recorded one crash at the intersection.
“VicRoads has no immediate plans to upgrade the Ballarat Rd/Perth Ave intersection at Albion,” he said.
“VicRoads recognises that there has been a temporary redistribution of traffic to other intersections, including the one at Ballarat Rd/Perth Ave, due to the closure of King Edward Ave to facilitate Regional Rail Link works.
“Once the Reginal Rail Link works are completed, VicRoads will monitor and review the performance of the Ballarat Rd/Perth Ave intersection, as well as other intersections in the Albion area to determine if any infrastructure changes are required.”
Brimbank City Council’s director of Infrastructure and Environment, Paul Younis, said the council would support the installation of traffic signals at the intersection “if VicRoads deems them necessary”.
“There are no further talks proposed at this stage, but council is open for further discussion as required,” he said.
