Coldstream collision: Two cars collide on Maroondah Highway

Two cars have been written-off in a nasty collision in Coldstream, where locals have previously pleaded for safety upgrades.

Two cars were written off after a crash on Maroondah Highway Coldstream on December 4. Picture: Coldstream CFA Facebook

Two men have been taken to hospital after a nasty head-on collision along Maroondah Highway Coldstream.

The collision, which saw two cars written-off, has sparked renewed calls for promised safety upgrades along the highway to be complete.

Knox highway patrol Sergeant Simon Gurr said an elderly driver, 89, was heading east towards the Yarra Valley when he crossed onto the wrong side of the highway about 1.30pm Sunday, hitting the other car head on.

Sgt Gurr said there were no drugs or alcohol involved, and both drivers were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

He said the impact of the crash caused the front wheel of the white Ford, being driven by the second driver, to be torn out, and both cars were written-off.

He said luckily the collision happened in a 70km/h zone and both drivers were travelling under the speed limit due to heavy traffic in the area.

An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said paramedics treated a man in his 80s and a man in his 60s at the scene.

Both men were taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition.

An elderly man driving this car allegedly crossed onto the wrong side of the road. Picture: Coldstream CFA Facebook

The wheel was ripped out of the second car. Picture: Coldstream CFA Facebook

Coldstream Fire Brigade captain Sean Bethell said the collision happened just before the Melba Highway/Maroondah Highway intersection, out the front of the Gateway Estate.

He said both drivers were able to get out of their vehicles and were being looked after by paramedics when the CFA arrived.

On the Coldstream CFA brigade’s Facebook page, many locals said the collision raised the need for traffic lights at the intersection of Maroondah Highway and Station St, previously promised by the former federal government.

Lilydale & Yarra Valley Leader previously reported the federal government vowed in 2019 to spend $20 million upgrading the Maroondah Highway in Coldstream including installing the lights where the main road meets Killara Rd and Station St.

Part of the cash was also to go towards duplicating the Maroondah Highway, from Melba Highway to Ingram Rd, and installing traffic lights at the entrance to The Gateway estate.

But earlier this year, Evelyn state Liberal MP Bridget Vallence said the fears of Coldstream residents were set to become a reality, with the state government confirming it will likely scrap the Maroondah Highway duplication in Coldstream and refuse to fix the dangerous Killara Road and Station Street intersections, despite the project being fully funded.

A state government spokesperson told Leader in September: “The former Morrison Liberal Government made this commitment without any planning and development of the project, nor any prior consultation with the Victorian Government.”

Mr Bethell said the brigade supported the upgrades going ahead, and the duplication of Maroondah Highway could have possibly helped to prevent Sunday’s collision.

“The duplication of the road … that would have assisted in possibly preventing (the collision) from happening.”

He urged residents to take care on the roads over the summer months.

“Even though we’ve got nice weather coming into summer, motorists have to be vigilant and drive to the conditions,” he said.

“Motorists just have to take care on the roads.”