By KATHRYN BERMINGHAM
AN Upper Beaconsfield man is calling on Cardinia Shire Council to reconsider proposed traffic changes to Salisbury Road.
Though no final decision has been made, council’s traffic engineers are planning to increase the speed limit and add a parking lane to the busy local road.
Under the changes, the speed limit on Salisbury Road would be increased from 50km/h to 60km/h on the short length of road that is not already marked 60.
A parking lane would also be painted along the stretch of road, which is just off of Emerald-Beaconsfield Road.
Resident and local bus driver Phil Maxwell says the changes would present “very real dangers” to the youth and elderly people that frequent the area.
Salisbury House Aged Care Home and Upper Beaconsfield Community Centre Creche are both located on the affected stretch of road.
“Numerous school buses pick up students at the Community Centre and drop them at Charring Cross in the afternoon,” he said.
“There are literally kids running everywhere. To increase the speed limit would endanger all these kids, not to mention the fact that to increase speed limits also applies to buses which are much more difficult to stop.”
Two weeks ago, Cardinia Shire’s Senior traffic engineer Mr Nicholas Charrett presented the plans to the community at a meeting of the Upper Beaconsfield Association.
According to Mr Maxwell, the UBA was noted that the changes have been effective elsewhere and that traffic speed measurements show that the average traffic speed is around 59km/h – meaning drivers are treating the area as a 60km/h zone regardless of signage.
But Mr Charrett told the Pakenham Gazette that the changes were in line with Victorian standards.
“These changes (10km/h increased speed and parking lane) have recently been undertaken on three other local roads in Cardinia Shire and all three show negligible changes in the actual speed of traffic using the roads and are considered effective at meeting community expectations, the State Speed Zoning guidelines and controlling traffic speeds.”
Whatever the reason, Mr Maxwell says the changes were “not well received.”
“The unanimous consensus was to leave well alone,” he said.
“The ambience of this beautiful rural community will eventually disappear if those like Mr Charrett have their way.”
