Submissions extended for inquiry into road toll

SUBMISSIONS into a parliamentary inquiry into last year’s spike in deaths on Victorian roads have been extended until next week, and and a local road safety group is backing a call for more people to share their views.

The Economy and Infrastructure Committee is looking into the increase, and will examine the existing Victorian Towards Zero Road Safety Strategy 2016-2020.

The terms of reference of the inquiry into the increase in Victoria’s road toll also include the driver drug and alcohol testing regime, speed enforcement measures and speed management police, smart phone use, road standards and the road asset maintenance regime, and road collision data collection.

In 2019, 263 people were killed on Victoria’s roads – 50 more than in 2018.

Liberal Member for Western Victoria Beverley McArthur, who sits on the committee, said the terms of reference were not exhaustive and “everyone was free to submit their own analysis and answers”.

“I know that some people will care most about the terrible state of some regional roads. Others believe wire-rope barriers make roads more dangerous, not safer.

“I want to make sure this enquiry has a regional perspective, and looks beyond urban and suburban settings. So I need people in regional Victoria to contribute their experience and views. Residents on the Great Ocean Road face may have a very different take on the competence of international drivers than Melbourne city-dwellers.”

The Deans Marsh-Lorne Road Safety Group has been lobbying for four years about various road safety concerns, and group member Juliet Beatty said the community making a submission to the inquiry was “an opportunity not to be missed”.

She listed several issues the group could submit for the inquiry’s consideration, including:

• Malfunctioning bicycle activated warning lights and misplacement of static cyclist warning signs on Deans Marsh-Lorne Road
• Sub-standard pothole repairs
• Minimum sweeping of gutters and fog lines, causing cyclists to have to veer into the left lane to avoid skidding
• Amateur line markings carried out with paint of such poor quality that lines disappear within 12-18 months.
• Several examples of no notice given to road users of major delays due to roadworks, and
• Poor camber on the surface of old and recently upgraded roads.

Submissions to the inquiry close on Tuesday, June 30.

For more information, head to parliament.vic.gov.au/eic-lc/inquiry/977.