Petition Improve road safety and infrastructure at Leakes Road and Western Freeway Interchange, Rockbank

The petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council to the immediate safety upgrades required for Leakes Road and the Western Freeway Interchange at Rockbank. The interchange has become a critical danger zone for the community. Currently, the interchange lacks essential safety infrastructure, including traffic signals on the freeway ramps and adequate street lighting on the overpass. Combined with significant potholes and a rural grade road surface, the infrastructure has failed to keep pace with Rockbank’s exponential growth. 

There is high crash frequency, with more than 42 crashes recorded on Leakes Road between the Western Freeway and Westcott Parade in recent years. In the last year, community monitoring indicates an alarming average of two serious accidents per week.

Leakes Road now carries over 14,500 vehicles per day, with projections showing this will rise to 22,700 by 2031. While the Federal Government has committed $1 billion for the Western Freeway Upgrade (Melton to Caroline Springs), the delivery business case is still underway, leaving residents with no certain timeline for immediate relief and no clarity about addressing Leakes Road.

The cost of these safety measures is insignificant compared to the potential loss of life. We need action now, before another serious accident occurs.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Minister for Roads and Road Safety and the Department of Transport and Planning to prioritise the installation of traffic lights at the Leakes Road and Western Freeway interchange as a matter of urgency, immediately upgrade street lighting on the overpass and repair the road surface to modern safety standards, and expedite the Western Freeway Upgrade, ensuring the Leakes Road interchange is a Stage 1 priority within the $1 billion Federal Government funding package.