Tuesday, 25 August 2026

 Bronwyn HALFPENNY (Thomastown) (19:03): (1790) My adjournment is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and the action I seek is for the minister to come with me to inspect Craigieburn Road East at the BP service station and fast-food outlet hub. The housing estates north of Craigieburn Road East are among the newest estates within the Thomastown electorate. Although many homes have been there for several years, not all the services residents require have yet been built. The state government has built schools and an early learning centre. Soon the community centre and library will be completed. We have upgraded Epping Road and Craigieburn Road East and have now announced the construction of the new police station. The Mernda Community Hospital has also opened and is operational.

However, communities also need local shops and food stores. A shopping centre has been earmarked for the area, but the council has repeatedly agreed to developer applications to delay the construction of the shopping precinct. This means the only available shops and food outlets are those on Craigieburn Road East at the BP service station. There is only one access point to the BP service station and fast-food outlets, and that is a left-hand turn when travelling east along Craigieburn Road East. There is no second access point for the estates and no legal right-hand turn for those travelling west. This means those travelling west must drive a further 2 kilometres or more to do a legal U-turn to then turn left into the BP. There have been many car accidents and near misses caused by illegal right-hand turns, and residents are becoming fearful of this section of the road. They are woken in the night to crashing noises, tyres screeching and horns tooting, and similarly while driving they can never be sure what will happen next as they travel along that section of the road. I ask the minister to please visit this site with me and see the problem firsthand.