Reservoir residents angry over intersection danger for young students

A busy five-road intersection in Reservoir with no crossings is only metres away from schools and residents are fighting for a fix.

Students in Reservoir face a “dangerous” daily walk through a major intersection that has no crossings, sparking fury among parents and residents.

Residents have united to lobby politicians and Darebin Council to improve safety measures at Boldrewood Parade and Broadway in Reservoir — a busy five-road intersection with no zebra crossings, crossing supervisors or traffic lights.

The intersection is 350m from Reservoir East Primary School and a short walk away from Reservoir High School, with more schools nearby.

Reservoir resident and mother Pia Cerveri said it was “ridiculous” there were no crossings at the “increasingly dangerous” intersection.

“Every morning and afternoon, hundreds of schoolchildren attempt to cross at this dangerous intersection, often having to dash across in front of speeding cars, trucks, buses and other vehicles,” she said.

A group of Reservoir residents have united in anger over the lack of safety measures at a busy intersection, where school students have to make a “dangerous” walk to school.

Reservoir High School student Aiden Turker, one of the many children who braves the roundabout traffic each day, said authorities needed to take action.

“So many kids go through this roundabout every day, think of them, think of the dangers for them,” Aiden said.

“It feels really dangerous.”

Brea Acton is mother to a Grade 1 student at one of the nearby primary schools, who she walks with to school every day.

She said the five roads intersecting at the roundabout meant turning cars were unpredictable.

“You don‘t know what the cars are going to do … cars are just shooting around this roundabout.”

Brea Acton and her daughter Audrey have to walk through the busy intersection every day to get to school.

Ms Acton said she’d like her daughter to be able to walk to school by herself once she’s older, but the busy intersection meant it was “way too dangerous”.

“If there were more safety aspects in place then we would feel more comfortable doing that, but at the moment there doesn’t seem to be any change or suggestion of change,” she said,

The intersection is also close by to a leisure centre and seniors centre, meaning many people in the community are plagued by the traffic.

Angela Cowell has lived in Reservoir for nine years and said dangerous traffic had been an issue the entire time.

“There will be loss of life … it’s an ever-present danger,” Ms Cowell said.

“Something’s going to go really wrong at any time.”

According to the council, fixing the safety issues at the roundabout by installing full traffic light signalisation was a key advocacy priority, but the intersection was governed by the Department of Transport.

Darebin Mayor Lina Messina said the council had been advocating for the fix for years.

‘Council shares the community‘s concerns with the roundabout including the poor pedestrian and cyclist facilities for travelling through the roundabout, the speed and volume of traffic and the safety of vulnerable users.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Transport said it had inspected the site and presented findings to the Suburban Revitalisation Board earlier this year.

“We have heard the concerns of the local community,” the spokesperson said.

“We will continue to work with the community, as well as road safety partners and the City of Darebin to monitor safety at the intersection and identify any future improvements.”