DEADLY DANGER
POLICE WANT SPEED LIMIT CUT
“I don’t know if somebody’s playing politics with it, but in my view (these improvements) are warranted given the fact there aren’t many shoulders on a road that is pushed by council and State Government as a bicycle-using road. That’s why I back the campaign.” – SNR-SGT SHANE COLES
GEELONG’S senior highway patrol officer wants the speed limit on the Queenscliff-Portarlington Rd reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h.
Geelong Highway Patrol Senior Sergeant Shane Coles has joined 14 other community leaders backing a submission to Bellarine MP Lisa Neville to fix one of the region’s most dangerous roads.
A letter will be presented to Ms Neville next week.
Police, traders, bus companies, councils and health groups have come out in support of a BikeSafe bid to add shoulders and reduce the 100km/h speed limit to 80km/h on a notorious stretch of the Queenscliff-Portarlington Rd.
“I don’t know if somebody’s playing politics with it, but in my view (these improvements) are warranted given the fact there aren’t many shoulders on a road that is pushed by council and State Government as a bicycle-using road. That’s why I back the campaign,” Sen-Sgt Coles told the Geelong Advertiser.
“My job is to ensure (cyclists) have a safe passage and that car users on the road also have a safe passage and don’t get involved in something because of the road design.”
McHarry’s bus service, truck drivers, Basil’s Farm winery, Piknic Cafe and the City of Greater Geelong also backed the campaign to fix the road.
Bellarine Community Health chief executive John Fendyk also added his support and said the narrow space between both lanes of cars and cyclists was an “accident pending”.
Mr Fendyk said while there had been some recent improvements, there were still uneven patches, and if cyclists ventured off the road they had “dangerous” potholes and uneven surfaces to contend with.
BikeSafe president Garry Laver said the Bellarine community backing showed it wasn’t just an issue for cyclists, but also for drivers of cars, commercial and recreational vehicles, trucks and buses.
“According to death statistics, the most dangerous road situation you can ride on is one with ordinary surfaces, 100km/ h speed limit, no shoulders and edges of the road breaking away,” Mr Laver said.
“We want people to know, and particularly Lisa Neville as the local member down here, that it’s not just a few cyclists. This is a really popular route.
“If they make it safe then you get more people participating in bike riding, you make it a more attractive destination for people to come to.”
The City of Greater Geelong and the Borough of Queenscliffe backed the bid, as well as Tourism Geelong and the Bellarine chief Roger Grant, who said inaction was “courting disaster”.
“I’ve seen too many accidents on the Bellarine and in our region. Before something happens we’re trying to all work together as organisations to support the Government and make them understand just how important the route is,” Mr Grant said.
“People are standing up and saying ‘let’s do something’. I hope that message is heard. We’re leading into an election and if it’s a political issue then terrific. I don’t care who funds it, let’s just get it done.”
Ms Neville said she was aware of the campaign and that she would be briefed in detail when she meets with Mr Laver next week.
“I will ensure that their concerns are relayed to the Minister for Roads, including the need for safer bike paths,” she said.
“The Bellarine has the rail trail which is one of the busiest and safest bike tracks in the state and I will continue to work with the local community to improve road cycling safety.”