Meeting to talk trucks and traffic

BUNINYONG and District Community Association will host a public meeting about the town’s traffic safety.

To be held at the Buninyong Town Hall on Thursday, 14 July at 7.30pm, the public forum has been sparked by recent truck accidents in the centre of the village.

BDCA Traffic Advisory Group, including convenor Robert Elshaug, have been lobbying for improved road safety measures for many years, to reduce the risk of heavy vehicle accidents.

“The recent accidents were so close to causing a tragic fatality. They’ve highlighted the fact that something needs to be done now,” he said.

In May of this year, a truck travelling down the Midland Highway hill and into the village from the east became out-of-control and drove straight through the Warrenheip Street roundabout on the wrong side of the road.

The truck driver dodged traffic but ran off the road and crashed between the Crown Hotel and the old post office.

A month before, a truck tipped over while travelling through the same roundabout, spilling its contents.

At the meeting, State parliamentarians Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle, and Member for Western Victoria Bev McArthur will answer questions.

Mr Elshaug said the BDCA Traffic Advisory Group will be able to update locals on their advocacy progress, and hear residents’ views.

“We’re advocating for the speed restriction signs to be immediately moved back up the hill much further, so drivers on the highway are slowing down before they get to the township boundary,” he said.

“We’d like to see the Government formulate and develop a regional heavy traffic system to… minimise the amount of trucks coming through Buninyong.

“But we know if there was to be some sort of bypass of Buninyong, that would be way down the track.”

Mr Elshaug said the State funded a “small traffic study” when Geoff Howard was Member for Buninyong between 2014 and 2018, and Regional Roads Victoria reviewed its findings with the Association, however no further action was taken.