By Alesha Capone
WYNDHAM City Council has called for urgent State Government funding to solve the area’s traffic and road problems, after a community survey revealed residents’ dissatisfaction with the issue.
Each year, the Department of Planning and Community Development conducts surveys to measures levels of residents’ satisfaction with their councils performance.
This year, Wyndham council achieved between 61 and 75 in most categories, which was classified as between an acceptable and high standard, for areas such as recreational facilities and waste management.
But roads and footpaths scored 57 out of 100, while traffic management and parking received 51 in the survey, which involved telephone interviews with 350 Wyndham residents.
At last Monday’s council meeting, councillors said they would continue to lobby the State Government to fix Wyndham’s traffic woes.
Cr Bob Fairclough labelled the survey “a wake-up call” for the State Government to “redouble efforts” to alleviate the area’s road troubles.
“I therefore call on the State Government to allocate immediate and substantial funding to help out with traffic in Wyndham,” he said.
“The State Government needs to do more, especially for roads around here,” Cr Glenn Goodfellow said.
The Wyndham Transport Advisory Committee chairman Jim Giddings said the intersection of Forsyth Rd and Old Geelong Rd in Hoppers Crossing was one of residents’ “most pressing concerns”.
“The sheer traffic volumes at that intersection make it an accident waiting to happen,” he said.
“The road there needs duplicating and there needs to be a roundabout or traffic lights.”
“I don’t know what they could do about it, but it’s a death trap. People do stupid things because they are so frustrated about waiting,” Point Cook Residents’ Association secretary Liz Mumby said.
Mr Giddings said the intersection of Derrimut and Dohertys roads in Truganina also required upgrading, as did the Cottrell and Werribee streets intersection.
“Advice for the state and federal government is if they want people to live in the area, they need to implement road infrastructure, have bus services to meet trains and more trains to the city in the mornings,” Mr Giddings said.
A council report said many residents believed the council was responsible for issues like train station car parks and some roads, which actually came under VicRoads’ jurisdiction.
“This category has long been rated poorly for this council which is disappointing considering it is an area where enormous capital resources are focused each year,” last week’s council agenda said.
“In 2010/2011 a further $30 million has been allocated in the capital works budget for work on this infrastructure.”
A City Transport Forum for residents will be on held tonight (24 August) at 7pm at the Wyndham Events Centre, 80 Derrimut Road, Hoppers Crossing.
