VicRoads Ringwood: Learner drivers swarm streets near Heatherdale Rd centre

Nervous learner drivers are taking to the roads near a new testing centre with fears they will cause chaos on residential streets.

Newly minted learner drivers are causing chaos on quiet streets surrounding a recently opened licence testing centre, frustrated locals say.

VicRoads closed its centres in Mooroolbark and Burwood earlier this year for a new hub on Heatherdale Rd in Ringwood, which opened in April.

The move was made as VicRoads deemed Ringwood a location that better supported its customer-focused retail strategy.

However, it has led to a rapid increase in traffic on nearby streets connected to Heatherdale Road, between Maroondah Highway and Canterbury Rd, as rookie drivers have driving lessons and licence tests with instructors.

VicRoads’ new Ringwood testing centre on Heatherdale Rd has copped a backlash from locals due to increased traffic in surrounding local streets. File picture.

The centre also had to repair a dodgy driveway entrance last month.

Marie St resident Michael McMahon said the number of cars using his street daily had risen from as many as 10 to about 150 since it opened.

Pictures supplied to Leader by Mr McMahon show up to four learner cars in the Vermont street at the one time.

“Every side on Heatherdale Rd is getting smashed,” he said.

“It’s only a matter of time before one of the cars out the front gets hit … I park my car out the front as well, I need it for work, I don’t need it in a panel shop for two weeks.”

Mr McMahon said he had discovered his street was included in one of the 14 designated licence testing routes used by instructors, and wanted them to use a wider range of locations to ease the pressure.

Whitehorse councillor Prue Cutts received an overwhelming response from locals after she asked for feedback on the situation on her Facebook page.

Dani James wrote: “It’s like an ant infestation. I know they need to learn … but seriously the streets are chaos. It needs to be spread out to other areas.”

Cr Cutts said the situation could get worse with VicRoads to close a temporary testing centre on Warrandyte Rd in Ringwood in mid-June.

The centre was created to assist with the backlog of driving test bookings following Covid-19 lockdowns.

The Heatherdale Rd hub caters for up to 1000 appointments a week, including 600 licence tests, and Leader understands there will not be an increase despite the temporary centre closing.

Cr Cutts said she had met with VicRoads representatives to raise residents’ concerns, and also written to Maroondah Council as the centre was located on its land.

“My main concern is the amenity we have in our local area has been majorly impacted,” she said.

“The local traffic volumes have been constant since the centre opened and it’s obvious.

“The question has to be asked if the one testing station is sufficient to meet demand, and why the other centres were closed.”

Whitehorse’s director of city development, Jeff Green, said the council was “aware of the concerns of community members regarding Heatherdale Rd and has been liaising with VicRoads.”

Maroondah councillor Rob Steane said the council would advocate to VicRoads to use a broader number of local streets for testing, rather than a concentrated area around the centre.

Leader understands VicRoads regularly reviews and updates drive test routes across its network.

The organisation did not say if it was planning changes to the dedicated testing routes in the wake of residents’ concerns, or if it was considering any other measures to ease traffic congestion in nearby streets.

A VicRoads spokesman said the license testing centre would be complimented by services offered at a customer hub at the Department Of Transport’s new base, the 11-storey EastCo tower on Maroondah Highway, which is set to open next month.

“The opening of the new Testing and Inspection Centre, as well as the Customer Hub in mid-2022, means VicRoads customers in Melbourne’s east will have convenient access to two dedicated VicRoads sites within a close distance of each other,” the spokesman said.