State Opposition vows to raise Geelong Princes Freeway speed limit if they win election

THE speed limit along the Princes Freeway between Werribee and Corio will be increased to 110km/h if the Coalition wins the upcoming state election.

The State Opposition has vowed to up the Princes Highway speed limit between Geelong and Werribee to 110km/h if they win the next state election.

THE speed limit along the Princes Freeway between Werribee and Corio will be increased to 110km/h if the Coalition wins the upcoming state election.

The Opposition pledge will put pressue on the State Government to show its hand on the long-debated issue, with an election due in November.

Opposition roads spokesman David Hodgett said the Liberal Nationals team consulted with the Geelong community and received overwhelming supprt to return the Princes Freeway from Werribee to the Corio intersection back to a 110km/h speed limit.

The Australian Road Assessment Program, run by the Australian Automobile Association and state and territory motoring clubs, ranks this section of highway ‘low risk’, previously known as 5-star, and reported it as among the top 10 safest sections of highway in Australia, Mr Hodgett said.

He said the section of the Princes Freeway is the only national highway with a speed limit of 90km/h or above that has any section with a 5-star rating.

The speed limit was reduced from 110km/h to 100km/h in the early 1990s.

Liberal South Barwon MP Andrew Katos led the community consultations and found 78 per cent supported upping the road limit to 110km/h.

“The 110km/h speed limit will reinstate our most important intercity road back to a speed limit that can allow drivers to travel safely but more quickly,” Mr Katos said.

“The Liberal Nationals are listening to Geelong motorists who have overwhelmingly expressed their support for a 110km/h speed limit.”

In January, the Addy revealed VicRoads would launch a review into the speed limit on the freeway between Werribee and Winchelsea after overwhelming community support for raising the limit from 100km/h to 110km/h.

A spokeswoman for Roads Minister Luke Donnellan left the door open for change earlier this year, and said “I’ve asked VicRoads to undertake a speed limit review on these roads once all the new flexible safety barriers have been installed”.

The RACV has supported raising the speed limit on the freeway.

Transport Accident Commission chief Joe Calafiore has previously opposed any change along the freeway and the Ring Road, saying the change would bump up the road toll.

Originally published as State Opposition vows to raise Geelong Princes Freeway speed limit if they win election