Multiple crashes at Yan Yean Rd, Doreen roundabout opposite Plenty Valley Christian College

People are crying out for urgent safety upgrades at a Doreen roundabout where two serious crashes have happened.

A dangerous intersection outside a Doreen school will not get any safety improvements in a hurry despite two recent traffic incidents resulting in road closures.

Major Road Projects Victoria has confirmed it does not have a construction timeline for $94m in upgrades to Yan Yean Rd that would remove a roundabout opposite Plenty Valley Christian College that was the site of two crashes in two days last week.

An elderly couple remain in hospital recovering from serious injuries after their sedan collided with a bus exiting the roundabout onto Orchard Rd on Monday, March 28.

Less than 24 hours after that crash, a man in his 30s was hospitalised with lower body injuries as a result of a truck rollover at the same location.

Upgrades including widening Yan Yean Rd from one to two lanes in each direction between Bridge Inn and Kurrak roads and replacing the Orchard Rd roundabout with traffic signals were approved in December 2021.

The project remains without a construction start date after an Environmental Effects Statement process resulted in changes to the scope and design and the need to seek additional environmental and planning approvals.

Orchard Rd resident Phil on Monday questioned when the promised upgrades would be delivered, describing the current situation as “ridiculous” and saying “something needs to happen” to decrease the likelihood of further crashes.

Crashes on Yan Yean Rd, Doreen caused traffic delays on Monday and Tuesday. Picture: Kirra Grimes

Nillumbik Shire Council said all it could do was “await advice from the Victorian Government on when works will be scheduled to begin”.

Plenty Valley Christian College principal John Metcalfe said the school community was looking forward to the “improvement in efficiency and lowering of driver frustration” the roundabout works would bring, but he was confident in existing safety measures such as staff on crossing duties and fencing to guide students to marked crossings.

“Traffic leaving the college need to be careful at the roundabout as they join a very busy major road, and we could always wish that drivers were less intense and more courteous while in the school zone,” he said.

An elderly man and woman travelling in a sedan sustained serious injuries in a crash on Monday. Picture: Supplied

Mr Metcalfe highlighted that the recent crashes were “the first significant accidents at the roundabout in more than five years” and that college staff played an important role in the response on the day, rerouting traffic through the college carpark before emergency services arrived.

“For a number of hours, staff members and parents voluntarily remained on traffic control after police and CFA members arrived to keep Yan Yean flowing at its busiest time,” he said.

“We changed our pick-up arrangements and buses at short notice and were still able to have all our student collected with only small delay from the usual times.

“College staff also assisted the air ambulance to evacuate the victims of the accident.”

A woman in her 70s on Friday remained in The Alfred hospital in a serious but stable condition as a result of Monday’s crash.

A man in his 80s involved in the same crash remained in the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition.