Police plead for VicRoads action after another fatal car crash on unsafe Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Rd

A DEADLY stretch of road in Woori Yallock has claimed its third life in six months, prompting police to plead with VicRoads to review the dangerous strip.

Three people have died on Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Rd in Woori Yallock in six months. Picture: Steve Tanner

EMERGENCY services are yet again pleading with VicRoads to fix the deadly Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Rd after a third fatality in six months.

A Donvale man, 30, was killed when the car he was a passenger in lost control on a bend between Dalry and Syme roads, colliding with another vehicle on Father’s Day.

The tragedy followed a double fatality just 100m away on April 9 when a LandCruiser carrying five people veered off the road, rolled and smashed into a tree.

Calls for urgent fix of Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Rd, site of fatalities

“How many have to die before we have a good look at this?” Yarra Ranges highway patrol leading Senior Constable Scott Lardner said last week.

Sen-Constable Lardner, who is preparing a report for the coroner on April’s crash, said more needed to be done to make the road safe.

The Hillcrest CFA brigade is seeking an urgent meeting with VicRoads and police over the dangerous road.

Last year, Leader and the community were successful in a campaign to fix a deadly section of Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Rd in Yellingbo — about 8km from Woori Yallock — following several serious crashes, including a fatality, in 2015. The Hillcrest CFA captain Fiona Burns said she would have a meeting with police and VicRoads next week.

Community campaign delivers fix for deadly Yellingbo road

“We’re tired of people dying on this road, some preventable. It’s unnecessary,” she said.

Ms Burns said she would present 20 years of data including serious and fatal accidents along a 14km stretch of Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Rd from Healesville to Warburton.

“The data shows a clear picture over the last 20 years. Something needs to be done as a matter of urgency,” she said.

Ms Burns said the road had a “massive volume of traffic”, including motorcycles, buses and heavy-haulage vehicles.

“I think all options should be considered including road realignment, particularly where the accidents happened, resurfacing and barriers,” Ms Burns said.

VicRoads metro south east regional director Aidan McGann said after April’s fatal crash, extra guideposts and warning signs were installed, including a new 55km/h advisory speed limit.

Mr McGann said the authority inspected any site of a road death, but did not respond when Leader asked if there were further plans to make the road safer.