By Alesha Capone
BRIMBANK City Council has called on the Federal Government to install traffic lights at a notorious Delahey roundabout, instead of devoting leftover funds for a different project.
At last Tuesday’s council meeting, Brimbank administrator Meredith Sussex said the council would write to Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese, asking for traffic signals at the intersection of Taylors Rd and Kings Rd.
Mr Albanese recently announced there were funds leftover from upgrading the Calder Freeway and Kings Rd intersection.
He said the remaining money would be used for safety improvements between the Calder Freeway and Sunshine Ave intersection.
Ms Sussex said this was an important issue, but she was concerned about the Delahey roundabout, which was under VicRoads’ control, so could not be upgraded by the council.
“Anyone who uses that roundabout coming either way knows this intersection is a significant problem and two lanes of traffic going into one is a very significant safety issue,” Ms Sussex said.
She said there had been no fatalities at the intersection and the council “would prefer not to be in the position of waiting for this to happen”.
Ms Sussex’s statement was backed by former Brimbank mayor Margaret Giudice, who welcomed the recent road improvements in the area, but said traffic lights would make the intersection “much more secure”.
“I lobbied and lobbied and lobbied for that as long as I was a councillor for the area which was 10 years,” she said.
“If VicRoads could please make-up their minds, for I and many other motorists use the roundabout – and it is a nightmare – it would be very beneficial.”
Back in 2009, Star reported Delahey residents Emmanuel Mifsud and Tony Attard collected a petition of 200 signatures, asking for traffic lights at the intersection, which was presented to parliament by MP George Seitz.
Mr Mifsud said he was disappointed the situation was still the same two years later.
“At the moment, the roundabout is atrocious,” he said.
“That was back in 2009 and now we’re nearly over 2011 and into 2012. If they really wanted to do something, they would do something.
“If someone gets killed there they will do something, but it’s too late then.”
