Ambulance concern over servo plans

By Lachlan Ellis

Ambulance Victoria has expressed concern over a proposed alteration for a service station on Gisborne Road in Bacchus Marsh, arguing it would exacerbate already poor traffic conditions.

Paramedic John Crossman spoke at Council’s Development Assessment Committee (DAC) on Wednesday 15 February, supporting Council officers’ proposal to refuse a permit for a drive-thru restaurant at the site of the EG Ampol service station.

Mr Crossman said Ambulance Victoria had been given assurances that traffic improvements would be made in tandem with the original proposal for the service station itself, which is located across the road from the Bacchus Marsh Ambulance Station.

“Ambulance Victoria moved into its current location on 102 Gisborne Road back in 2018. When the proposal for the original development was received, Ambulance Victoria raised concerns based on increased traffic flow along Gisborne Road…at the time we met with representatives, presumably from the developer, Department of Transport, and VicRoads, and we were assured that traffic flow wishing to travel north would be merged with the northbound traffic, traffic signs and lane development would prevent cars from travelling south from this point, and cars wishing to travel south would have to access Gisborne Road via Clifton Drive,” Mr Crossman said.

“We were assured that the existing keep clear zone would be increased in size, repainted, and signs indicating adjacent ambulance station would be erected. We were happy with these assurances.”

But these assurances were never followed through upon, Mr Crossman said.

“When we received the application we’re referring to today, we have again raised concerns not necessarily on what’s being proposed, but on further traffic exacerbation. Traffic routinely turns south out of the northbound lane, even though we were assured they couldn’t. Gisborne Road is now further clogged with cars wishing to travel north, as is Clifton Drive with cars wishing to travel south.

“This might not be an issue if the keep clear zones were adhered to, but they’re not. They’ve never been repainted, increased in size, or modified in any way, nor are there any signs indicating the presence of an ambulance station…often we’re totally dependent on the lights to change, and someone nice letting us in.”

The motion to refuse an amended planning permit to the service station was moved by Cr Tonia Dudzik, seconded by Cr Moira Berry, and unanimously approved by Council.

Cr Paul Tatchell moved a motion to defer the drive-thru proposal “to find a better solution”, but the motion wasn’t seconded and thus was lost.

Cr Berry also moved a motion to write to the Department of Transport to “investigate Gisborne Road, Clifton Drive – the area around the Ambulance Victoria Bacchus Marsh station”, which was seconded by Cr Dudzik, and also approved unanimously.