Town speed review

By Tania Martin
YARRA Ranges Council has called for the State Government to cut red tape around reducing speed zones in a bid to ease the road toll.
In 2009 the shire has the highest road fatalities across Victoria with 15 people dying on local roads.
At a meeting last Tuesday, 9 February, councillors agreed it was time to take their concerns to the top – the Minister for Roads Tim Pallas.
The council is calling for a review of speed limits in Montrose, Mount Evelyn, Mt Dandenong, Selby, Tecoma, Wandin North, Woori Yallock and Yarra Glen.
Lyster Ward councillor Samantha Dunn said the council had spent years campaigning for VicRoads to reduce speed limits through its town centres to 50 km/h.
“It seems VicRoads has a set of criteria for speed limits in metropolitan town centres and nowhere in the shire seems to meet them,” she said.
Cr Dunn is calling for Mr Pallas to cut the red tape on the criteria and review the process.
She said for a speed limit to be reduced it has to be in a predominately retail development area with shops on both sides of the street for not less than 200 metres.
“We know in the Yarra Ranges we have little townships all over the place but there is no way anywhere will come near 200 metres from a retail development,” Cr Dunn said.
“But that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot of pedestrian traffic and it doesn’t mean they are safe places to be.”
Melba Ward councillor and Lilydale police Sergeant Terry Avery said the State Government was continually calling for answers to reduce the road toll and this was a perfect example of what could help.
“It’s as simple as reviewing a set guidelines,” he said.
But VicRoads south east regional director Duncan Elliott said in 2008-09 the road authority had completed a case-by-case review of speed limits in the townships across the Yarra Ranges.
He said the review considered the extend to which individual townships deviated from the current guidelines and also took into account factors such as the number of access points, nature of the road environment and abutting land use.
“This review found a 50km/h speed limit was appropriate only for Sassafras and Kallista,” Mr Elliott said.
“We have no plans to introduce 50km/h speed limits in other townships.”
Cr Dunn said it was amazing how the council could constantly be rejected by the minister and VicRoads in its bid to make its community safer.
“We are once again at the mercy of the minister to look specifically at Yarra Ranges and its circumstances,” Cr Dunn said.
The Mail contacted the State Government but the issue was referred back to VicRoads.