Red lights, dangerous intersections to go if Coalition wins state election

THE Coalition’s $4.1 billion plan to remove the busiest and most deadly intersections across our suburbs has been slammed by the Roads Minister as a “half baked” policy that is “no use to the community”.

ROADS Minister Luke Donnellan has slammed the Opposition’s proposal to remove more than 50 dangerous and congested traffic light intersections if elected, saying the policy has “no use to the community”.

The congestion-busting policy, which would cost between $4.1 billion and $5.3 billion and create 5000 jobs during construction, would mostly be done by grade separations similar to rail line level crossing removals.

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Mr Donnellan said the policy was “half baked”.

“There is always going to be serious policy discussion during the election year and I very much welcome that but you what you have got to do is look at, ‘how does the network operate?’

“It’s no use getting a grade separation happening that results in a pinch point 500 to 600 metres down the road.

“Many of these intersections that I have looked at so far, there are issues all around them in term of compulsory acquisitions.

“There is not a policy announcement on how they are going to deal with the level crossing down the road, the next set of traffic lights down the road. This will cost a lot of money.”

A car crash at Settlement and Barwon Heads roads, which is among the traffic nightmares that would go if the Liberals are elected. Picture: Mike Dugdale

Earlier in the morning, Premier Daniel Andrews declined to discuss the Opposition’s policy, saying he was only interested in getting on with Labor plans to remove dangerous level crossings.

A third of the massive project would be paid for by the sale of Victoria’s share of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme.

Preference would be given to building underpasses to separate cars at each of the 55 intersections, but consultation with local communities would determine final designs.

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Mr Guy revealed the Coalition’s centrepiece roads policy on Monday, promising it would boost safety and cut traffic.

“My traffic light removal project continues the work of the level crossing removal program to eliminate congestion hot spots across Melbourne and Geelong,” he said.

“Removing these suburban congestion hot spots will make our roads safer and keep traffic flowing which means less time sitting in gridlock and more time at home with family and friends.”

The traffic light removal project would be rolled out in conjunction with the Andrews Government’s popular program to get rid of 50 level crossings across the train network, which was a centrepiece of Labor’s last election pitch.

It would be done over two terms, with 30 targeted in the first four years.

The Level Crossing Removal Authority would be renamed Intersection Removal Victoria.

The intersection of Nepean Highway and South Road was named the most congested intersection in Bayside in the Redspot Survey. Picture: Chris Eastman

The Opposition has analysed VicRoads data to put forward 35 intersections it will remove if elected, with the other 20 to be selected through consultation.

Importantly, red light systems will be modernised to ensure traffic flow is boosted where intersections are removed and the overall network is improved.

Some of the red light or roundabout nightmares around Melbourne and Geelong that would go include:

NEPEAN Hwy, Warrigal Rd and Lower Dandenong Rd in Mentone;

ALBERT St and Bell St in Preston;

WHITEHORSE Rd and Springvale Rd in Nunawading;

BALLARAT Rd and Geelong Rd in Footscray;

TORQUAY Rd and Settlement Rd in Belmont.

Policy documents say on an average weekday last month, up to 2.5 million vehicles pass major intersections during afternoon peak.

Peak periods are incredibly now between 6:30am and 9:30am on weekday mornings and 3pm to 6:15pm in afternoons.

The Springvale and Dandenong roads intersection has also been earmarked by the opposition. Picture: Nicki Connolly

One key intersection highlighted by the opposition at the corner of Springvale and Dandenong roads has an extra 250 cars pass through every 15 minutes, during peak periods.

Another, at the corner of North Rd and Nepean Hwy in Gardenvale, has had 24 serious crashes in more than a decade.

Congestion is also growing rapidly on weekends, with lunchtime traffic jams now worse on Saturday and Sunday than on weekdays.

“My plan will create thousands of jobs in the construction phase and it will help accommodate Melbourne’s burgeoning population growth,” Mr Guy said.

“Traffic congestion costs the economy around $5.54 billion a year.”

The decision to sell off Victoria’s share of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme comes after the Commonwealth released a new pumped hydro plan and said it would buy the state’s 29 per cent stake in the asset.

The remaining two-thirds of the cash for the road project would come from state and federal coffers.

Negotiations over that proposed sale are ongoing, with Treasurer Tim Pallas saying the state would decide what to spend the money on, not the federal government.

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