Callout to reduce speed on Ross Creek road

RESIDENTS between Ross Creek and Smythesdale are advocating for a speed reduction for the towns’ linking road.

With the speed limit currently at 100kph just past Post Office Road towards Smythesdale’s Pascoe Street, Wayne Bourke is one of several people lobbying for a drop to 60kph down that stretch of Sebastopol-Smythesdale Road.

A member of the Smythesdale CFA, he said he and his crew have seen several incidents over the years from vehicles turning onto the road from side streets.

“My property fronts onto that road,” he said. “With the brigade, they’ve raised considerable concerns, and this goes back to before 2021.

“The council have said according to the TAC accidents statistics there’s been no accidents there and we’re saying that’s not true.

“This has come about because of the number of callouts we’ve been getting. There’s no footpaths and gutters there either so if you’re walking from the school bus-stop you’re walking in 100 kph traffic.

“One person did the science and a drop in speed would be just under an extra minute of travel time. Is somebody’s life worth one minute?”

Mr Bourke said previous attempts from other residents to contact Golden Plains Shire about the issue have been met with no response.

“The resident who tested the drop in speed wrote a letter to council which he said hasn’t been responded to,” he said.

“Another resident, she’s really traumatised and thinking about selling her property. She’s seen hundreds of accidents out the front of her residence including two accidents in two days.

“She wrote a letter to council as well with no response.”

Travelling from Ballarat, Sebastopol-Smythesdale Road’s current speed through Ross Creek is 80kph, apart from when it’s reduced to 60km during school start and finish hours, coming into effect just after Tom Jones Road before jumping back to 100kph past Post Office Road.

With the road managed by Golden Plains Shire, a municipal spokesperson said the organisation has heard previous complaints made by residents.

“Council has received requests for a speed reduction from residents who reside alongside the road or live close to the road,” the spokesperson said.

“Sebastopol-Smythesdale Road is part of an ongoing review and there have been previous speed limit reviews in the area.

“Since 2018, there have been eight incidents on the road based on official VicRoads data, with no fatalities.”

The municipality is set to undertake an online community consultation regarding the issue which is slated to start later this month.

Sebastopol-Smythesdale Road will be one of many roads to feature in the initiative as well as roads in Haddon, Napoleons, Bannockburn, Inverleigh, and Smythesdale.

“This consultation aims to collect feedback on specific roads where council is proposing speed limit reductions as part of its commitment to enhance road safety for all road users and pedestrians in the Shire,” the spokesperson said.

“Council follows VicRoads’ speed reduction process and will work with VicRoads to deliver approved speed reductions. Proposed speed reductions would require support from residents and other road users in the area.

“Generally, [delivering a speed reduction] can take up to six months.”

Mr Bourke said the consultation results could be unfavourable for residents given the differing perspectives of motorists who pass through the town.

“Given previous experiences where they tried to reduce between Tom Jones Roads to Bells Road, it’s not just people living here but those travelling through who can voice their opinion,” he said.

“They just travel through and they’re not in favour of a reduction.”

A proposed speed change was previously reviewed by the municipality in late 2021 to reduce a 3.5-kilometre portion of the road from 100kph to 80kph, which the municipality’s spokesperson said was unsuccessful.

“Of 90 total responses, 66 respondents did not support a speed reduction and only 18 respondents supported the proposed speed reduction,” the spokesperson said.