Hume councillors say Sunbury Rd needs duplication, not speed limit reduction

CR JACK Ogilvie says the Sunbury Rd speed limit reduction is “like putting a bandaid on cancer”.

N08ho301 Hume councillor Jack Ogilvie has moved a motion at council to install a telecommunications tower at the airport viewing area allowing plane watchers to tune into a radio frequency and pick up the communications between the pilots and the air traffic controllers.

THE speed limit on a deadly road near Melbourne Airport will drop by 20km/h in a bid to improve safety.

But the change is just a stopgap measure, some Hume councillors say.

From February 23, the speed limit on Sunbury Rd will be reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h in both directions along a 4.6km stretch from Bulla to Melbourne Airport.

In the five year period to June 30 last year there were 12 casualty crashes, including one fatality and seven serious injury crashes, on the road.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Will the new speed limit make this road safer? Post your opinion below.

There was also a double fatality in a three-car crash on July 23 last year.

VicRoads metropolitan north west director Adam Maguire said the permanent change will offer a safety boost for motorists.

“Sunbury Rd is a busy, undivided road with a single lane in each direction and has around 26,000 vehicles travelling on it every day,” he said.

“In particular, this 4.6km section ... has a very poor crash history and is one of the main reasons the speed limit is being reduced.”

But Cr Jack Ogilvie maintains duplication is the only solution.

“A 100km/h limit was clearly not suitable and was too much risk, but I also worry about frustration and impatience from drivers with the speed reduced,” he said.

“The clear issue is the road needs to be duplicated from the goat track that is here today.

“It’s like putting a bandaid on cancer.”

Fellow councillor Ann Potter said the speed limit change was a step forward but cautioned it was far from a solution.

“While the road is a single lane country road it is an accident waiting to happen with all the traffic which uses it,” she said.

Mr Maguire said the change in speed limit had been supported by Hume Council and Victoria Police.

“The new 80km/h speed limit will also make it easier for drivers to transition to the 60km/h speed zone on Sunbury Rd, west of Wildwood Rd,” he said.

“It will give drivers more time to react to unforeseen traffic conditions and assist in safer entry and exit onto intersecting streets.”