Freeway safety on the agenda

By Lachlan Ellis

A State Government Minister will attend an upcoming meeting of an intra-council highway committee, hearing the safety concerns of local governments including Moorabool Shire Council.

The ‘Western Highway Action Committee’ will next meet on Friday 25 August, and Moorabool Shire Mayor Cr Rod Ward is one of the committee’s members.

At that meeting, State Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Melissa Horne, will meet with delegates from the ten councils who are members of the committee.

Cr Ward said the committee envisioned a safe, efficient highway linking Melbourne and Adelaide with regional centres along the route.

“We have many concerns about parts of the highway, including some very serious safety concerns and we’re hoping to relay these to Minister Horne, in the hope the Federal and State governments can take action and improve the quality of the highway,” he said.

“The highway links two major capital cities in Australia and has cities and towns along the way, so is highly populated by heavy transport and general travellers. It’s so important to attract government investment to achieve the goals of the committee to ensure a high quality and safe highway.”

The group of councils involved in the committee stretch all the way from Melbourne to the South Australian border, and includes Moorabool Shire Council along with, the City of Melton and Ballarat, Pyrenees, Northern Grampians, Hindmarsh, Yarriambiack and West Wimmera Shire Councils. Ararat and Horsham Rural City Councils are also included.

“We meet monthly and work together to achieve upgrades to the Western Highway/Freeway and address issues of safety, transport efficiency and amenity,” Cr Ward explained.