VicRoads to approve new speed limit

By Kate Taylor

A bit of people power has driven a change to the speed limit on a local road.
A petition of 50 signatures was presented to the February 6 council meeting, calling for the speed limit on Flanagans Drive, Merrimu, to be increased.
Action by council was also speedy – a report put before the April 3 council meeting found the limit along half of the road should be increased, while the other half should remain the same.
Flanagans Drive is a 2.76km sealed road providing access to approximately 70 large semi-rural allotments, also providing access from Bacchus Marsh Road to Bences Road.
The southern section of road has a number of bends on a vertical incline, with the northern section of the road being flatter in nature and partially built up with houses.
The area has been known for speeding, however – as well as the petition for the limit increase, council had previously received a petition from other residents calling for the limit to be reduced, which it was 10 years ago to the current 50kmph limit, and for speed bumps to be installed – even Victoria Police requested speed bumps.
Council found, using a VicRoads speed limit review assessment tool, that the Northern section of Flanagans Drive, from Bacchus Marsh Road to Streeton Drive, should have the speed limit increased from 50kmph to 60kmph and that the Southern section, from Streeton Drive to Bences Road, should stay at 50kmph.
Council officers have now written to VicRoads requesting that the posted speed limit be changed.