Horrific speeds near school supports call for safety audit

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An independent road safety audit will be undertaken on a “very dangerous intersection” near Warragul North Primary School.

It follows Baw Baw Shire releasing traffic data showing several vehicles driving on Normanby St and O’Dowds Rd at “horrific” speeds of up to 134.1km/h.

The data, collected last year, found 16.24 per cent of vehicles exceeding the 50km/h speed limit on O’Dowds Rd. This included two vehicles clocked between 130 to 140km/h and five at 70 to 80km/h.

On Normanby St, 11.17 per cent of vehicles were travelling above the 60km/h speed limit. Of these, four were clocked between 90 to 110km/h.

The data, with a petition signed by 107 people, was enough for councillors to call for an independent road safety audit.

An officer report recommended council install pedestrian warning signs on Normanby St and replace the existing give way signs with a stop sign and line markings at a cost of about $990.

Whilst supporting the measures, two concerned community members and three Warragul North Primary School students asked for more to be done.

Harper McNair, who appeared remotely with fellow school students Georgia and Jasmine Potter. The sisters said they were often forced to do a “fast dash” to get across Normanby St with their little brother to get to school.

“It’s hard for them to cross safely since they cannot see cars approaching them because of the crest of the hill,” Harper said.

“It was scary to learn how fast some cars were driving,” the grade five student added.

Urging the speed limit be reduced during school times and for “special” pedestrian lights, Harper said she was lucky to be able to walk to school safety due to pedestrian crossings.

“Unfortunately, some kids such as Georgia and Jasmine will never get that opportunity as Normanby St is just too dangerous to cross without an adult,” she said.

Terri Wilkes said 4363 cars were over the speed limit during the seven-day investigation periods.

Whilst no accidents have been reported at the intersection, Dr Wilkes said smashed glass on the road during an interview with The Gazette late last year indicated otherwise.

“There are accidents that are occurring there, but they are not being reported,” she said.

Stuart Brock said one in five cars were exceeding the speed limit.

“The reality of it is, that 60km/h area is just way too high for that time of day when all the children are going to school or coming home from school,” Mr Brock said.

Cr Danny Goss agreed more needed to be done. Councillors unanimously supported his call for an independent road safety audit.

The audit is expected to cost $7000 and can be met in the current 2022/23 financial year operational budget, the officer report said.

“It’s important that the road safety audit is done, because that will give us impetus for more change,” Cr Goss said.

“I still maintain this is a very dangerous intersection.”

Cr Goss emphasised 2382 cars exceeded the speed limit, labelling some speeds “horrific”.

He said his alternative motion beefed up the officer recommendation and “at least satisfy us, in our minds, that we’ve done everything we can do”.

“There is more to do here, this is not the end of this issue at all,” he said.

Cr Joe Gauci said he had been asked if council was setting a precedent by installing flashing lights to warn people of the risk at this intersection.

“In my view, a good precedent is a good precedent,” Cr Gauci said. “Just because it’s a precedent, doesn’t make it wrong.”

“In the meantime, we just have to be vigilant on that intersection and let people know.”

Cr Peter Kostos said the mix of an overpopulated school and 300 houses being built nearby in future placed higher importance on finding a safe alternative for child pedestrians.

“This is going to become more and more essential to have a crossing here at this particular point,” Cr Kostos said.

He hoped the audit would provide ways to improve line of sight for drivers exiting O’Dowds Rd.

Cr Jazmin Tauru said the intersection was “clearly one that doesn’t make our community feel safe”.

“We certainly have to take action,” Cr Tauru said. “You only have to use this intersection or be crossing the road, especially around school times, to see the clear danger that it does possess.”

She said it was a councillor’s job to find an answer as children should not “have the fear of crossing a road just to get to school”.