Wednesday, 21 June 2023

Chewton speed limits

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (17:42): (300) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and it concerns the designated speed limits on the Pyrenees Highway for westbound traffic entering Chewton. The action that I seek is for the minister to ensure a safety audit is completed at the Pyrenees Highway at Chewton between White Gum Track and Railway Street, specifically regarding the speed signs on this stretch of road, with a view to extending the 60-kilometre zone eastward to commence at White Gum Track and be applicable to motorists travelling in a westerly direction into Chewton.

The Pyrenees Highway is the main thoroughfare from the Calder Highway to Castlemaine and travels through the small township of Chewton. The Pyrenees Highway forms the main street of Chewton and becomes Main Road for a short distance through the town. As the Pyrenees is a major highway, the residents of Chewton experience a steady flow of traffic through the town each day, including many heavy vehicles, with the speed limit through the town being 50 kilometres an hour. Chewton is an old gold rush town and as such contains many heritage buildings and houses located very close to the busy roadway. As such, there are concerns that the current speed zones on the east side of Chewton for the westbound traffic entering the township are not appropriate and make the road unsafe for motorists and residents.

I was recently contacted by a constituent who lives on the eastern side of Chewton, where the speed limit for the traffic on the Pyrenees Highway entering the town goes from 80 kilometres to 60 kilometres and then to 50 kilometres within approximately 550 metres. My constituent informs me that motorists regularly continue to drive at 80 kilometres until reaching the 50-kilometre zone in the township, ignoring the 60-k zone altogether. The constituent states that, with many residences constructed so close to the roadway and with the numerous properties also having concealed driveways, the current speed zone could be a contributing factor to a major traffic collision. It has been suggested by my constituent that the 60-kilometre zone be extended in an easterly direction to at least White Gum Track to improve driver behaviour on the stretch of road.

The constituent has been in contact with the Department of Transport and Planning regarding the speed zones and also informs me that he has spoken to the local police, who, I have been informed, agree that action needs to be taken to slow motorists down. The suggestion by my constituent to extend the 60-kilometre zone applicable to westbound traffic seems to have merit, and I call on the minister to direct a safety audit be conducted on this stretch of road to make it safer for residents and motorists.