Action comes late

SOMETIMES it takes something extreme to happen in order to bring about change.

The death of a Batesford man at a Birregurra intersection on Boxing Day raised the ire of many people who were familiar with the intersection and its hidden dangers.

Kevin Braunton, fresh from picking up his injured partner and daughter from hospital after a crash at the crossroads on Christmas Eve, made an impassioned plea to authorities to fix the intersection, threatening to “go down there are dig it up myself”.

One frustrated reader urged authorities to pay “urgent attention” to the accident black spot saying he had “lost count of the number of times I’ve driven past car crash victims in utter despair, with ambulance and police following collisions at the intersection”.

Another said she had witnessed a car drive straight through the stop sign around 30 minutes before the Boxing Day fatality occurred.

Following the fatality, VicRoads announced it would undertake a full review of the accident blackspot. When the third serious crash at the intersection in five days happened yesterday — injuring seven people, including two who were airlifted to hospital — VicRoads escalated its response, altering the speed limit and putting up flashing signage in a matter of hours.

Birregurra CFA captain Gavin Brien, who has seen firsthand the danger of the intersection, said he had appealed for help from local politicians 18 months ago.

Yesterday at least two local MPs were calling for community members to join a rally they were holding on Sunday calling for government action.

The response, and potential for change, is heartening. But it has been far too long coming to people like Gavin Brien and Kevin Braunton who have been personally affected by inaction until now.

It shouldn’t take three serious accidents in five days before calls for help are heard. People shouldn’t have to die before local members respond to a genuine community concern.