Police to saturate roads in Hume, Moreland and Moonee Valley for Cup weekend
Dangerous smartphone addicts behind the wheel on Sydney Rd will again be targeted by police in a five-day road operation across the Melbourne Cup long weekend as police prepare to saturate roads in Hume, Moreland and Moonee Valley.
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Dangerous smartphone addicts behind the wheel on Sydney Rd will again be targeted by police in a five-day road operation across the Melbourne Cup long weekend.
Fawkner Highway Patrol will saturate roads in Hume, Moreland and Moonee Valley for Operation Furlong in the lead up to the nation-stopping race.
Inspector Chris Allen told Leader officers would be cracking down on distracted drivers along Sydney Rd, as well as motorists flouting the law on Sunbury Rd in Bulla, where three people have died in the past three weeks.
Insp Allen said speeding, drug and drink driving, fatigue and not wearing seatbelts would also be a focus.
“It’s concerning for us at a local level that these fatalities are occurring on our roads and it’s more motivation for us to get out there and ensure people’s safety,” he said.
“The public will be seeing a much larger presence on our roads over the long weekend.
“We want everybody returning home safely to their families.”
During a five-hour period on Sunbury Rd earlier this week police busted 61 drivers speeding – about one every five minutes.
“We’re taking a united stand against road trauma and serious injury collisions to stop them occurring,” Insp Allen said.
“We ask everyone to think about the choices they make and their behaviour on the road going to events associated with the Melbourne Cup.”
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Moreland, meanwhile, has been a hotspot for mobile phone offences during police operations this year.
Officers nabbed 28 along Sydney Rd in Brunswick in just four hours on September 5, while 66 were busted across the municipality during a national day of action on August 27.
And 229 drivers were caught on their phones during Operation Scoreboard over the AFL grand final long weekend.
This weekend police have joined forces with the three northern councils – Hume, Moreland and Moonee Valley – in a united stand against road trauma.
Hume Mayor Carly Moore urged motorists to be safe and follow the road rules.
“At this time of the year people are often travelling more and with busier roads we all need to be patient and courteous,” she said.
Operation Furlong runs from November 1 to 11.59pm on November 5.