BY NATALIE GALLENTI
A CONCERNED Taylors Lakes resident has urged VicRoads to introduce barriers to prevent, what he claims, is an accident waiting to happen.
Darrell Dorgan is calling on the traffic authority to clean up its act, and install safety measures on a median strip on Melton Highway in Taylors Lakes.
Mr Dorgan said the median strip between Calder Park Drive and Sunshine Ave was an “absolute disgrace”, as only a simple strip of grass separated six lanes of traffic.
He said only a few years ago, barriers had been installed to protect trees that had been planted close by on Kings Rd, but nothing had been done to protect motorists.
“It’s disgraceful that they put those up to protect trees, but nothing is being done to protect us,” Mr Dorgan said.
What he said was even more appalling was the fact that those barriers and some trees were now being pulled down to make way for further works.
He said calls made to the State Government had fallen on deaf ears, with it passing the buck to the former government.
“We’ve been left out in the cold – nothing gets done in this area.
“Motorists aren’t being protected.”
The long-time Brimbank resident said he was constantly frustrated at the lack of money spent to improve roads in the Western Suburbs.
“There are no barriers to stop traffic from colliding.
“There are six lanes of traffic and a patch of grass separating them.”
Paul Younis, Brimbank Council’s general manager for infrastructure and environment, said the council was not aware of any complaints about this section of the road.
However he said the council would like to see more money spent on the arterial road network where road improvements had been identified.
“The council has been working on the implementation of local area traffic management treatments in the local road network in Taylors Lakes, Delahey and Keilor Downs with an annual commitment in the budget for traffic improvement works,” Mr Younis said.
Nial Finegan, VicRoads regional director for the metro north west region, said they were currently developing a proposal for the Melton Highway between Sunshine Ave and the Western Freeway to improve road safety.
“This initiative will identify hazards within the road reservation such as trees or street light poles and recommend appropriate safety measures to reduce the risk and severity of run off road crashes. Once investigations have concluded, this proposal will be considered for future funding,” Mr Finegan said.
Mr Finegan said that in 2009 the council had planted trees in the median on the Melton Highway east of the Kings Rd/Melton Highway intersection as part of its streetscape strategy and, in accordance with road safety standards, it was required to install wire rope barriers to protect road users from possible collisions with these trees.
Star contacted the State Government but received no response before deadline.
