A Balliang East woman is calling on VicRoads to lower the speed limit on a notorious stretch of road where her father once pulled a passenger from a wrecked car in which two people had died.
Lorraine Dexter took up the cause a fortnight ago after another serious crash on the same stretch of Geelong-Bacchus Marsh Road in Balliang East, outside her father’s property.
“My dad has lived here for almost 40 years,” she said. “A few years ago he helped a person out of a car accident in which two people died.
“There have been many, many accidents … outside the front of the house and there was another on February 26.
“A car ran off the road, cleaned up our letterbox, became airborne across our driveway, landed in shrubs and travelled another 30 metres and came to rest among trees. The driver was taken to hospital in a serious condition.”
Geelong-Bacchus Marsh Road has a 100km/h limit and, according to VicRoads, has seen average traffic numbers rise from 5700 to 5800 vehicles a day over the past five years.
VicRoads regional director Ewen Nevett said there were 13 crashes, two with fatalities, on the four-kilometre stretch of road in Balliang East in the five years to July 2015.
“While we haven’t had formal discussions with Moorabool council, we’re aware of the community concern about Geelong-Bacchus Marsh Road,” he said.
“We’re currently investigating a number of potential road safety improvements that will be considered for funding programs.”
Ms Dexter said she wanted the speed limit reduced to 80km/h immediately until a formal decision by VicRoads had been reached.
She said drivers were ignoring signs on both sides of the township saying ‘Welcome to Balliang East, Please slow down’.
“This is a small community with a popular primary school on the highway, past the Werribee turn-off towards Geelong,” Ms Dexter said.
“I’ve almost been involved in an accident myself turning into our driveway, even after indicating 200 metres in advance and pumping brakes to alert the cars following me.
“They just don’t slow down … these signs are utterly useless. It’s like a freeway here and it has to be changed now. Cameras would be a good start. I’m asking for any other suggestions before others, including myself, are killed or injured on this treacherous length of road.
