NewsBite

Colac Otway Shire parking and traffic strategy suggests speed limit cuts for Great Ocean Road

Dropping speed limits, banning tourist buses in one town and a possible bypass are among plans floated to tackle increasing congestion on the popular tourist route.

New plans are ahead to help tackle Great Ocean Road traffic.
New plans are ahead to help tackle Great Ocean Road traffic.

Speed limits would be reduced through Great Ocean Road towns under a plan to improve safety along the crowded tourist route.

Other proposed measures on the agenda include a long-term plan for a bypass in Apollo Bay and a ban on tourism buses from entering the township of Kennett River.

GREAT OCEAN ROAD REVAMP PLANS

URGENT REPAIRS NEEDED ON GREAT OCEAN ROAD

The 40kmh zones would be introduced from Separation Creek through to Marengo.

The Colac Otway council has a new plan to tackle parking and traffic.
The Colac Otway council has a new plan to tackle parking and traffic.

Key inland towns Forrest and Lavers Hill would have 50kmh limits, a new Colac Otway parking and traffic strategy suggests.

“While a long-term strategy for some towns could include a bypass, such as Apollo Bay, the reality is that vehicular traffic will only increase (on the GOR),” the strategy says.

“As such, there is a need to improve pedestrian amenity and accessibility in all towns.”

Urbanised areas of the Great Ocean Road, such as Skenes Creek now have speed limits of up to 60kmh.

Drivers continually flout the law in Skenes Creek, which with more than 6000 tickets issued annually is the busiest mobile speed camera area in Victoria.

Other key features of the strategy include improving pedestrian crossing points, providing better public toilets and better managing tourist buses.

In Apollo Bay, the aim is to get buses off Collingwood St — the main beachfront retail strip — and encourage safer pedestrian use of the area.

The strategy proposes:

— BLOCKING traffic in a southern section of Apollo Bay’s main street;

— RE-ROUTING buses to new long vehicle parking on Pascoe St;

— INVESTIGATING the merit of a shuttle bus between Skenes Creek, Apollo Bay and Marengo during peak periods; and

— ULTIMATELY creating a town bypass, by re-routing the Great Ocean Road via Thomson, Pascoe and Nelson streets.

The myriad issues affecting Kennett River have led to a raft of recommendations.

The small township is a key stop for day trip tourism operators to the Twelve Apostles, putting massive pressure on the environment and infrastructure.

Hordes of visitors feed wild birds in the Grey River Road area and walk on the Great Ocean Road to access toilets in the private caravan park.

The strategy calls upon the council to push for an immediate ban on 40-plus seat coaches from entering the township.

The feeding of wildlife should be actively discouraged, and a new public toilet close to the car park and general store should be built.

The three-tiered City Deal has recently committed $1.9 million towards addressing issues in Kennett River.

Colac Otway Shire is expected to release the strategy for public comment this week.

Originally published as Colac Otway Shire parking and traffic strategy suggests speed limit cuts for Great Ocean Road

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/colac-otway-shire-parking-and-traffic-strategy-suggests-speed-limit-cuts-for-great-ocean-road/news-story/c01493cffc8f261fa58f26129446d93b