By Casey Neill
NEW ‘slippery when wet’ signs on Belgrave-Hallam Road are a “good idea”, but locals say changing the road camber is the only way to stop dozens of crashes on the deadly Belgrave South bend.
In December the Mail reported that VicRoads had vowed to investigate possible safety improvements between Old Reservoir Road and Colby Drive/Temple Road.
Acting VicRoads metro south east director Graham Clarke said the road authority installed the signs on 18 January “in response to a number of run-off-road crashes on the sharp bend just north of Cambridge Street, Belgrave South”.
“VicRoads is currently undertaking investigations into potential longer term road safety improvements,” he said, “which could include shoulder sealing, roadside hazard protection, and skid resistance treatments.
“Once these investigations are complete, any further road safety improvements will be considered and evaluated for future funding.”
Simon Crosbie has lived on the 200 metre stretch for the past 11 years and sees accidents every week – sometimes two or three.
It has claimed one life in the past five years.
“I don’t know if it’s going to help the problem all that much,” he said of the signs.
“It’s something. But it’s the camber of the road that needs fixing.
“The people who are having accidents on the road aren’t speeding.”
Mr Crosbie welcomed VicRoads’ plans to investigate other potential safety improvements.
“It’s extraordinary how many accidents you get there,” he said.
“I walk up my drive and you don’t quite know what you’re going to see.”
The Mail first reported Mr Crosbie’s concerns in June but it was local police echoing his fears and calling on VicRoads to act in November that prompted a response from the road authority.
Their calls followed a collision involving a Belgrave police car on 26 November.
Officers were responding to another accident on the problem stretch when a driver travelling down the hill lost control and collided with them. It was one of four crashes in the same place on the same day.
On 9 December yet another driver lost control negotiating the bend and rolled their car.
While police were attending the incident, another car careered off the road at the same point.
Sergeant Mick Hall said signage, ripple strips or resurfacing was needed to make the downhill, sweeping bend safer.
“We’ll certainly be putting our case forward,” he said. “The corner is off camber and it’s a long sweeping bend.
“The main point is that it’s dangerous.”
