Signal for breakthrough

By Casey Neill
TORMORE Road Lights Action Group founder Peter Cole said a breakthrough in the campaign for signals at a Boronia intersection may be close.
VicRoads south eastern director Steve Brown has agreed to meet with the action group on 19 May.
“I feel his attendance is a very big breakthrough in trying to get the intersection fixed,” Mr Cole said.
Mr Cole formed the group last month over concerns about the safety of the intersection of Tormore and Boronia roads, Boronia.
The group is campaigning for traffic lights at the intersection which carries traffic for Knox Leisure Works, Boronia Football Club and Boronia West Primary School.
But Mr Brown told the Mail that the volume of traffic at the intersection did not justify the installation of traffic signals.
“In the past few years, VicRoads has undertaken some remedial works in this area such as the installation of turning traffic warning signs to improve drivers’ awareness of this intersection,” he said.
Mr Brown said keep clear markings at the intersection also aided vehicle access to the road.
Action group representatives and Knox mayor Jim Penna met with VicRoads engineers on Thursday 24 April.
“The meeting achieved nothing and we are still at square one,” Mr Cole said.
Boronia MPs Jason Wood, Nick Wakeling and Heidi Victoria will meet with the action group on Monday 19 May.
Mr Cole has also invited Roads Minister Tim Pallas, VicRoads CEO Garry Liddle and Monbulk MP James Merlino to attend.
“Over a million tax payers use the intersection every year and I wonder why the Government cannot whisk together the $800,000 needed to benefit all these lives,” he said.
“It’s about time they start listening and give back to the people who pay their wages.”
Ferntree Gully MP Nick Wakeling said he would raise the issue in State Parliament.
“The Government needs to act on this issue. We can’t wait for someone to die,” he said.
Knox mayor Jim Penna said there was a dire need for traffic lights at the intersection.
“It is a very dangerous intersection and council has lobbied and will continue to lobby VicRoads for traffic signalisation at this site,” he said. Cr Penna said the council had identified the installation of lights at the site as a high priority project to VicRoads several years ago.
The action group will hold an open forum on the issue at the Boronia Football Club rooms at 7pm on Wednesday 21 May.
Mr Cole said VicRoads had been invited to attend.
“This will be a time when our community can voice it issues and concerns with the intersection,” he said.
He encouraged concerned locals to sign the group’s petition at Knox Leisure Works, Boronia Football Club or Boronia West Primary School.
It will be presented to VicRoads at the 19 May meeting.