Punt Rd danger zone: Cars smash into four front fences six times this year

CARS have smashed into front fences on a section of this busy Melbourne road six times this year, often in the wet. But VicRoads says resurfacing the road is not a priority.

Punt Rd residents Romain, 8, Claudia, 11, Alice, 11, Holly, 10, Ruby, 6, and Marc and Kate Corley and Susie Warwick. Picture: Nicole Garmston

A SHORT stretch of Punt Rd, South Yarra, is a danger zone.

Cars have smashed into front fences along the stretch of road on six occasions since last year. Four homes have been in the firing line.

The section of road was last surfaced in 1997, and the accidents often happen in the wet after a dry spell, when residue has made the surface slippery.

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Motorists have reported aqua-planing off the road as they accelerate up the hill towards Domain Rd.

Two crashes occurred in quick succession one wet morning in June.

And residents have seen several “fender-benders” on the road, used by more than 30,000 vehicles a day.

An internal VicRoads report, seen by the Herald Sun, recommended resurfacing. But residents said VicRoads had told them repair work on the road was not a priority.

The report, which said its total risk assessment was incomplete, did recommend the installation of “Slippery When Wet” warning signs, which has been done.

The report also said traffic on the road was “light”.

Resident Susie Warwick said the onset of rain made her anxious.

“Every time it rains, I wonder if there’s going to be another accident,’’ she said.

“VicRoads have told us that there’s nothing wrong, and it’s not in their schedule to do anything,’’ Ms Warwick said.

Neighbour Marc Corley, whose family has lived in the street since the 1940s, said he was worried about the safety of pedestrians.

He was especially concerned about the safety of young children who walked up the road to South Yarra Primary School.

“It’s the condition of the road — it’s just been ground down,” Mr Corley said.

He said some cars would accelerate up the hill and then lose control in the wet.

“There’s five houses copping it,’’ he said.

A two-car collision on Punt Rd on June 9, 2017. Picture: Supplied

An independent traffic expert told the Herald Sun that the details in the VicRoads report seemed at odds with its own conclusions.

The houses along Punt Rd have long had a development overlay over them, relating to a proposed widening of the road, but property acquisitions have not occurred.

VicRoads did not respond to questions from the Herald Sun.

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@IanRoyall