Tuesday, 17 October 2023

Murray Valley Highway–Labuan Road, Yarroweyah

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (21:41): (501) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and it concerns a recent reduction in the speed limit on Labuan Road from 100 kilometres per hour to 80 kilometres per hour and the need for further safety upgrades at the intersection with the Murray Valley Highway. The action that I seek from the minister is to immediately implement safety upgrades at the intersection of Labuan Road and the Murray Valley Highway, including the removal of a significant hump on Labuan Road prior to the intersection, which is part of the decommissioned rail reserve and reduces vision of the Murray Valley Highway; the clearing of some of the trees on both sides of Labuan Road which restrict vision of the Murray Valley Highway; the installation of a stop sign in the place of the give-way sign; permanent illuminated signage to warn motorists they are approaching a major intersection; lighting of the intersection at night to increase visibility for drivers on both Labuan Road and the Murray Valley Highway; and repairing the surface and replacing the rumble strips, which are currently severely deteriorated.

In April this year a horrific accident at this intersection claimed the lives of five people, and in February 2022 a man died and two police officers faced severe injuries following a van crashing into a police car at the intersection. Local residents report seeing near misses regularly as cars fail to stop at this intersection. While Labuan Road is a local government road, the intersection – and all signage associated with it – is the responsibility of the state government because it forms part of an intersection with a major arterial road, the Murray Valley Highway. Following the crash in April I called upon the Minister for Roads and Road Safety to expedite safety works at this intersection. Unfortunately these works have still not been undertaken. The Moira shire have done all they can to install temporary signage and have now moved to reduce the speed limit on Labuan Road, which will remove it from Google Maps as a suggested route. However, speed restrictions alone are not enough to make this intersection safe, and much more needs to be done. I appreciate that the accident that caused the death of five people in April is the subject of a coronial inquest, but the reality is the intersection is dangerous and the government needs to act now rather than wait for the coroner’s report. Local residents consider this intersection one of the worst black spots in their local area and fear further lives will be lost if the safety upgrade works I have outlined are not completed.