Police know nothing about Bass Coast Council’s plan to close road due to “illegal” activity

Bass Coast Council wants to close a road due to hoon driving and illegal fires but police say they know nothing about the issues.

Signs on Lookout Rd in San Remo to remind people not to dump rubbish.

Police have been left out of the loop with a decision to address illegal activity in the Bass Coast that council claims is bad enough to shut down a section of road.

Bass Coast Council is currently asking for community feedback on a proposal to close 200m of Lookout Rd in San Remo, the road that used to connect Phillip Island to Anderson but is now a scenic lookout.

It has said this was to “prevent illegal activities that have been occurring including lighting of fires, dumping of rubbish and hoon driving”, but police told the Herald Sun they hadn’t been made aware of the activity or the plan.

Police from both San Remo and Wonthaggi police stations told the Herald Sun they hadn’t been informed of the illegal activity.

“It hasn’t come across my desk,” San Remo Police Station’s Senior Sergeant Adam Ferguson said.

Lookout Rd in San Remo is set to be closed due to illegal activity.

The proposal would see the last 200m of Lookout Rd closed “for the purpose of ensuring community safety”.

“The section of road will be closed to vehicles but remain open to pedestrians and cyclists to safely use as a shared footpath,” it reads.

The road has been used as a lookout for many years since the Phillip Island Rd upgrade from Anderson Roundabout.

Burnout marks and damaged rubber can be seen on the road, as well as graffiti and some signs of littering.

Council have said the activity on the road had been reported to police by surrounding residents.

“Concerned property owners have reported the activities with emergency services attending the site in the past,” a spokesperson said.

Council has also said they aren’t concerned the activities will continue in another area of the shire if the road is closed.

“the intent is to remove the opportunity for these activities to take place,” they said.