Wednesday, 20 March 2024

Wallan road infrastructure

Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (17:54): (799) My adjournment is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and I seek the action of the minister to provide an update as to why there is a seemingly permanent 40-kilometre roadwork zone on Watson Street in Wallan. It has been 40 kilometres for five months. Is this because potholes are so bad that the government has just decided it is easier to slow everyone down than to actually fix them? No wonder no work has ever been done or ever been seen to be done, except for filling in existing potholes with sand, which gets washed away with rain.

I want to read into Hansard some stories that locals in Wallan have sent me in the hope that the minister might actually finally do something about the pothole crisis in Wallan. Unfortunately, the local Labor MP rarely visits Wallan and refuses to deal with the pothole crisis.

Wallan local Dale Wise says:

The condition of the roads around Wallan are atrocious and even the new section of road on northern highway near the 7/11 is already breaking up.

These roads need to be heavy duty to cater for the high concentration of heavy vehicles using the northern highway to get into northern Victoria using Watson St to access the Fwy.

Bradley Baldwin says:

As a new resident to the area, between the crime, and potholes, what a terrible choice to move here.

Robert Ellul says:

My car tyre exploded shortly after hitting the pothole outside the police station on Watson St.

I am already $185 out of pocket, and need to take the car to the mechanic to make sure there isn’t damage beyond the wheel and tyre.

I note that it has been marked as ‘temporarily’ 40kph for … 4 months now, but no action has been taken … to … return to 60kph.

Angus Maclean says:

I have lived in Hidden Valley Wallan for just over 10 years having moved to Australia in 2012 with my family from Scotland.

The lack of investment in roads and infrastructure has been shocking. Why are we expected to just put up with the condition of the roads?

I’ve started to look elsewhere to live and work.

Liz Garraway says:

The Northern Hwy is a corridor … for hundreds of trucks and the roads in the area should be built to withstand these, as simple pothole repairs get ripped up by the passage of all the truck wheels.

Surely the local Labor MP –

who is not really local to Wallan –

receives the same pleas from locals, but has chosen not to listen. I’m seeking the action of the Minister to provide an update on Watson Street and actually listen to locals and fix the pothole crisis plaguing my community.