Petition Safer Murray Road

Issue:

This petition of residents in Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Assembly Murray Road (and Gaffney St) between George St, Preston and the Upfield Shared Path at Batman Station, Coburg, which is one of the most hazardous stretches of road in Melbourne's north. This corridor is a high-risk arterial which is experienced as hostile by the many vulnerable road users. Its four undivided 60 km/h lanes, blind crests and curves produce a serious-injury crash rate more than 150% higher than parallel Bell Street. Residents documented 30 crashes in 2025 and at least 10 more in early 2026. This corridor is used by children walking and cycling to local schools and childcare centres - yet it has no protected bike lanes or median refuges, so pedestrians must cross four lanes of fast traffic. Repeated crashes also destroy bus shelters and traffic signals at significant cost to the community. Whilst locals welcome the first 40km/ph school speed zone being implemented along a section of the corridor, much more action through physical infrastructure is needed to make this road safer for all.

Action:

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Assembly take a corridor-based approach, and fund and deliver new physical infrastructure to make Murray Road safer for all. This should include: reconfiguring the road from 4 through-lanes to 1 each way to physically separate traffic from pedestrians and cyclists; pedestrian refuges and new safe crossings; wider separated paths and footpaths for people walking, cycling and using scooters; safer speed limits consistent with the Government's own State Speed Zone Policy and the installation of road safety cameras. These engineering changes will reduce dangerous driving, better protect the vulnerable road users who rely on this road, and prevent further deaths, injuries and costly damage.