7th February 2024 12:53
Victorian Legislative Council, Melbourne
Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:53): (642)
My constituency question is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. My constituent is a resident of Dandenong. Like me and many others in our community, my constituent was heartbroken to hear about the toddler that was fatally struck by a car on Stud Road in Dandenong North late last year. As the minister knows, Stud Road is a notoriously busy transport route and has limited places to safely cross.
Six people have now lost their lives on that stretch of road in the last 10 years. There is a costed and shovel-ready council project that would build a safe pedestrian crossing on Stud Road near the Dandenong Stadium. So my constituent asks: will the minister provide our community with certainty and fund this project as a matter of urgency in the 2024–25 budget handed down in May?
Written Answer
Received: 05 March 2024
Hon. Melissa Horne MP
(Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Local Government, Minister for Ports and Freight, Minister for Roads and Road Safety)
I thank the Member for South Eastern Metropolitan Region for her question.
I was saddened to learn of the death of a child on Stud Road, and I appreciate that this recent incident is distressing for the local community. I offer my deepest condolences to all those affected by this incident, especially the child’s family.
Following all loss-of-life incidents on state-managed roads, the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) works with its transport and road safety partners, including Victoria Police, to understand the circumstances surrounding the incident. This helps to determine causes and contributing factors and to identify road and transport related measures that improve safety at the site.
DTP is developing an improvement proposal to address safety for pedestrians and other road users at the intersection of Stud Road and McFees Road in Dandenong North. The proposal considers the safe crossing of pedestrians on Stud Road and footpath access to the Dandenong Stadium and adjacent parklands.
I have been advised by DTP that a speed review against the Victoria Speed Management Guidelines has been completed and have confirmed a speed reduction from 80 km/h to 60km/h will be implemented by the end of April 2024. DTP will continue to work with its road safety partners to identify opportunities to improve road safety and will consider this feedback as part of the ongoing management of Victoria’s road network.
The Allan Labor Government is committed to improving road safety and will continue to prioritise investment to deliver safer roads across Victoria.
[ENDS]
