Seville crash: Second person dies amid urgent calls for upgrades

A number of safety upgrades will aim to slow drivers down at a deadly Seville intersection, after two people were killed in a horrific crash.

A number of safety upgrades have been announced for a deadly Seville intersection, after two people lost their lives in a horrific crash.

Mooroolbark’s Leroy Collins, 48, died from his injuries at The Alfred hospital on February 12, following the crash at the intersection of Queens Rd and Beenak Rd on January 17.

Mr Collins was driving a blue car which collided with a green car and a white Toyota HiLux which was towing a horse float.

He was flown to The Alfred in a critical collision after the crash, which claimed the life of the driver of the green car, Kira Hennessy, who died at the scene.

Three locals inside the Toyota HiLux, including a young child, were also taken to hospital for observation following the crash.

Yarra Ranges Council has announced a number of upgrades will take place at “the high risk cross-intersection” after a safety assessment.

The fatal crash scene. Picture: Kiel Egging

“We have identified additional safety improvements which includes installation advanced warning signs, rumble strips and line marking treatments to prompt drivers to slow down and make them aware of the prevailing road conditions,” the council’s acting built environment and infrastructure director Kim O’Connor said.

The works are anticipated to be completed within the next six to eight weeks.

Ms O’Connor said the council was also making similar improvements at other cross intersections along Beenak Rd, “which will help community members and visitors to make their way through the area safely”.

“We’ve previously installed rumble strips and advanced warning signs at the intersection of Clegg Road and Wellington Road, and we will work with the Department of Transport on further treatments for this intersection,” she said.

The council will also be applying for Black Spot funding for intersection treatment projects at both intersections, and other high risk areas across Yarra Ranges.

Kira, 30, due to marry next month, was the marketing/communications co-ordinator at CherryHill Orchards and was killed as she made her way to work.

“If you’ve ever been in touch with us, it was likely you would have communicated with Kira as she was the friendly face and bubbly voice of our phone calls, emails and social messages for CherryHill,” CherryHill Orchards posted in a Facebook tribute.

“Kira was and always will be the light and laughter of our team, an absolute joy to be around and loved by all of her colleagues.

“Kira leaves behind her lovely fiancee Josh, her wonderful parents and brother and nephew, who she absolutely adored.”

CherryHill Orchards, along with local residents and the CFA, have been in contact with Yarra Ranges Council, Mayor Jim Child and state and federal MPs, to express their concerns about the safety issues at the intersections on Queens Rd and are hopeful that some positive change will come from the tragic crash.

Queens and Beenak roads are council-managed roads.

Speaking at a recent council meeting, Yarra Ranges Mayor Jim Child acknowledged the passing of Kira and offered his sincere condolences to her family and loved ones.

“I would like to take this opportunity to assure the community that the Yarra Ranges Council traffic and transport team is working closely with the appropriate authorities and conducted a safety audit last week (the week beginning January 23) to determine short and long-term work to improve the safety of the Queens Rd and Beenak Rd intersection,” Cr Child said.

Cr Child said he had met with Mr and Mrs Cliff Riseborough, proprietors of Cherry Hill Orchards, at the family home on Queens Rd.

“A meeting that will be everlasting in my memory, expressing their devastation and bereavement at the loss of Kira,” he said.

“But more than that – this meeting was a stark reminder of how important it is for all levels of government to continually review and improve safety on our roads – and that is something we are absolutely committed to,” Cr Child said.

He said Mr Riseborough had been working on a discussion paper to raise community and all levels of government awareness about the serious road safety issue at the intersections along Queens Rd Wandin East.

Cr Child tabled that paper for the council’s traffic and transport team to investigate and liaise with Mr Riseborough to report back to a future council forum.

Cr Child also shared a video from Mr Riseborough’s dashcam showing a car going straight through the intersection, without stopping at the stop sign, which is a common occurrence.

The devastating crash scene. Picture: Kiel Egging

Speaking to Leader, Cr Child said if drivers followed all the road rules at the intersection, there should not be a problem, but many drivers were not stopping at the stop sign.

“I drove (the road) a couple of days later (after the crash) and if you do what you are supposed to do, as far as the road rules are concerned, there is road separation there, with a concrete separation piece, a stop sign, there’s the white line – if you do what you’re supposed to do everything would be right,” he said.

“But as (Mr Riseborough) said in his document there is some complacency there, and whether this comes from Google Maps or whatever it is, people are not stopping.

“The footage he has – what he does is actually slow down at that intersection (because he knows some cars don’t stop).

“We’ve got to start looking at really what is happening out there on the roads. There is an education piece, but what more can we do at those intersections (along Queens Rd) and I think that’s the piece our traffic engineers will be working on.”

Evelyn state Liberal MP Bridget Vallence raised the issue of the “notoriously dangerous” Queens Rd in state parliament, calling on the state government and council to act.

“Enough is enough. Queens Rd Wandin East is notoriously dangerous, particularly at Beenak Rd, Old Baker Rd, and Wandin East Rd intersections,” Ms Vallence said.

“Our community is devastated by the recent double fatality accident.

“How many more deaths before the government will act and make this road safer?

“Our community is sick of the neglect of known dangerous roads across the Yarra Valley.

“It’s about time the Andrews Government’s department of transport and Yarra Ranges Council worked together and swiftly upgraded this road to make it safer.”

She said poor visibility, inadequate warning, and poorly placed signage were problems at the three intersections.

Beenak Rd resident Tami, who didn’t give her surname, told Leader on January 17 she had seen one-to-three “nasty” crashes at the intersection each year in her 18 years living in the area.

She called for an urgent fix, saying: “I’ve got family who live around here and a lot of friends, you don’t want to walk out to see someone you know or anybody involved in something like that,” she said.