Residents are lobbying for safe footpaths and a pedestrian crossing to be urgently installed on a dangerous stretch of road in Doreen.
Yan Yean MP Danielle Green and Victorian shadow roads minister Jill Hennessy visited the corner of Bassetts Road and Bridge Inn Road last Thursday and called on the state government to intervene and build a school crossing while lowering the speed limit.
Doreen mother of three Noeleen Dusting said the 80km/h speed limit for cars driving down Bridge Inn Road was endangering the lives of students who crossed the road to get to Ivanhoe Grammar and the newly opened Hazel Glen primary school.
Ms Dusting said motorists exceeded the speed limit constantly, even during school pick-up and drop-off times.
“I don’t want my children to become a statistic,” she said. “It’s a deathtrap and just last week I saw three children running across the road who were narrowly missed by a speeding truck. Something needs to be done urgently before there’s a fatality.”
Ms Dusting said she drove her children, aged 7 and 11, to school at Hazel Glen Primary every day, although she lives just around the corner.
“I don’t feel safe even walking them to school,” she said. “Without traffic lights, it’s nearly impossible to cross the road.”
Ms Dusting, who lives off Bassetts Road, is also calling for footpaths along the road, which leads onto Bridge Inn Road.
She said red dust made it difficult for drivers turning into Bridge Inn Road.
Another resident, Cheryl Storie, echoed Ms Dusting’s concerns, saying she wanted the speed limit on Bridge Inn Road reduced to 60 k/h, as well as better public transport.
“Its a growing area,” she said. “Soon there will be even more cars on the road and something needs to be done to improve safety.
“The speed limit needs to be reduced, but if that happens there could be more traffic congestion so there needs to be more access to buses to stop people driving everywhere.”
Ms Green said traffic lights, a pedestrian crossing and more public buses were a matter of urgency.
Victorian Transport Minister Terry Mulder could not be reached for comment.
