Thursday, 30 October 2025

 Brad ROWSWELL (Sandringham) (17:28): (1385) My matter is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and the action that I seek is that the minister instruct their department to undertake a comprehensive traffic and safety study of Bay Road in relation to safety and traffic flow within my electorate. Bay Road is a key route through the heart of my community, linking Sandringham to Highett and Cheltenham, running from the rotunda at Sandringham beach at Beach Road through Sandringham village down to the Southland shopping centre, carrying quite literally tens of thousands of vehicles every day. Unfortunately the experience of members of my community is that along Bay Road in 2025 it has become increasingly hazardous, with more accidents taking place, and it is harder to find a local who has not experienced some sort of traffic incident on Bay Road than one that is on the other side of that. I am quite clearly tired. You have clearly pulled the short straw as well, Minister.

As our population grows, it is important for us to consider the traffic flow along Bay Road. We have got developments at the former CSIRO site in Highett. The government’s – in my view and the community’s view – aggressive planning strategy to allow 12-storey buildings in the Sandringham village will only increase congestion on Bay Road, and this will only worsen. At the end of Bay Road is the start of the government’s Suburban Rail Loop project as well, and that will add further congestion to Bay Road if in fact the Suburban Rail Loop goes ahead. My community is expected to grow by more than 32,000 people over the next little while, so I ask the minister to direct their department in relation to this matter. Finally, Middleton Street, Advantage Road, Miller Street, Graham Road, Jack Road, Mernda Avenue and Highland Avenue are just some of the intersecting roads along Bay Road that have been raised with me as concerns. I urge the minister’s department to undertake this study and to make things just a little bit easier and a little bit safer for members of my community.