By ALESHA CAPONE
WILLIAMSTOWN RSL has called for two busy intersections to be upgraded after a World War II veteran was hit by a motorbike while crossing Melbourne Rd.
Williamstown RSL president Ernie Poole said the club had spent years asking for two pedestrian crossing points, near the Melbourne Rd-Ferguson St roundabout, to be improved.
Mr Poole said the upgrades were more urgent than ever because a World War II veteran and a female RSL club member were still in recovery after being hit by a motorbike while crossing Melbourne Rd.
In August, WWII veteran Ray Rowe and the woman were hit as they crossed a Newport-bound lane.
The spot is marked with a ‘roundabout’ sign and a pedestrian island in the middle.
Mr Rowe remains in rehabilitation and the female RSL member has her arm is in a sling, after having a titanium rod implanted into her shoulder.
“Ray was a fit 91-year-old before that accident and it robbed him of his mobility, possibly for the rest of his life,” Mr Rowe said.
“They just whip round here and they’re on you before you know it.
“There’s no such thing as give way, slow down or anything – they just fly straight through.”
“It’s amazing somebody hasn’t been killed yet and you see people waiting an inordinate amount of time to cross in the middle of the road.
“Apparently VicRoads have had the plans for five years but haven’t fixed it yet.”
Mr Pooel said the RSL also hoped the Ferguson St crossing close to the roundabout – which comes under Hobsons Bay City Council’s jurisdiction – would be upgraded with lights which would turn red when pedestrians want to cross.
The spot has yellow ‘pedestrian’ signs, flashing amber lights and white lines painted on the road.
“There are lots of near misses there,” Mr Poole said.
VicRoads’ metro north west regional director Patricia Liew said crash history, traffic and pedestrian volumes and costs were considered when implementing road upgrades.
She said based on VicRoads’ evaluation of the Melbourne Rd crossing, “improvements are unlikely to be implemented in the short-to-medium term” but VicRoads would continue to monitor the situation.
