Call to improve pedestrian safety near Torquay College

MEMBER for Western Victoria and Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party state leader Stuart Grimley is pushing the Victorian Government to improve road safety for pupils at Torquay College.

The school on the corner of Grossmans and Eton roads has more than 1,000 pupils, and traffic around the school is particularly heavy during school pick-up and drop-off times.

Mr Grimley met with parents of pupils to discuss the issue.

He said the road infrastructure had not kept pace with the growth of the school, especially as there had been residential development around the school in recent years, and a solution needed to be found before school resumed in 2022.

Mr Grimley raised the issue on the floor of state Parliament in late November, saying traffic around Torquay College was “presenting daily annoyance for local residents and potential danger for students and residents alike”.

“With just one vehicle entrance to the school drop-off point on Eton Road, traffic banks up behind the roundabout on the corner with Grossmans Road,” he said.
“Drivers are reverting to risky practices, such as overtaking the queues at speed on the wrong side of the road.

“For students, there is just a single pedestrian crossing on Grossmans Road, so they often resort to playing chicken on Eton Road, leaving them exposed to this poor driving behaviour.”

He asked Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll to direct VicRoads, as a matter of urgency, “to look into the installation of the necessary infrastructure to ensure that the children who attend Torquay College and local residents in the area are kept safe from harm from vehicles”.

The Surf Coast Shire manages both Grossmans and Eton roads, and a spokesperson said the shire was working with staff from Torquay College to “progress any safety improvements at the school”.

“While there are no plans to install additional traffic crossings on Grossmans Road before the 2022 school year, council officers have been gathering pedestrian and traffic data to consider if there is a need for additional crossings in the future and where the most appropriate location may be.

“Torquay College has two road frontages, which can be accessed via both Grossmans Road and Eton Road. There are also a number of drop-off areas a short distance from the school.”