THE State Budget delivered major wins for Wyndham in education, with more than $25 million set aside for local schools.
Werribee Secondary College principal Steve Butyn celebrated the $6.5 million share his 1300-student school received for its second stage of rebuilding following a fire three years ago.
“We’re absolutely delighted that we can continue the school’s seamless reconstruction,” he said.
The budget also provided $6.9 million for a new year 10 to 12 school on the corner of Boardwalk Blvd and Bergamot Dr in Point Cook; $6.9 million for a new prep to year 12 school at Manor Lakes Blvd and Minindee Rd in Wyndham Vale; and $7 million to upgrade Carranballac School’s Boardwalk campus for Years 7 to 9.
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The Wyndham Vale school will include a focus on children with disabilities and learning impairments.
But the budget fell short in roads, with some residents labelling a long-awaited intersection upgrade in Point Cook as a “quick fix” that will not manage the area’s escalating traffic levels long-term.
The dangerous intersection at Dunnings and Point Cook Rds received traffic lights.
Many residents Ä and some Wyndham City councillors Ä expected Dunnings Rd to be duplicated at the same time.
Cr Leigh Barrett said he feared the traffic lights were a stop-gap measure and residents would need to wait years for the full project.
“It will still be congested Ä drivers will just sit at traffic lights now,” he said.
Point Cook Residents’ Association vice president Ian Muir said the intersection already recorded about 17,000 vehicle movements a day.
Some Truganina residents are also fuming that traffic signals will be funded for the intersection of Sayers and Palmers Rd, when they have been fighting for signals for Palmers Rd and Boundary Rd for years.
Instead, their intersection has been slated for a round-about.
Wendy Bitans, of the Truganina Progress Association, said a round-about would not allow east-west drivers to merge into the predominantly north-south flowing traffic, nor could it be large enough for big trucks to negotiate.
Other residents are concerned about delays over a second police station for Wyndham North, announced in the 2004-05 budget, and promised for completion by 2008.
Tarneit MP Tim Pallas said he was as frustrated as residents about hold-ups to the $6.5 million station.
“Site identification is still taking place, and police are still in discussion with several land owners,” he said.
Mr Pallas said he had been advised that a 2008 target was still possible.
The station will not be part of a large complex with other government agencies as first planned, he said.
There are no plans to divert the money to fix up Wyndham’s present aging station on Princes Hwy, he added.
Some $10 million was also given to the Werribee Plains project to increase the use of recycled water in the region, especially by industry.
