WHILE South Gippsland Shire Council supports the need for traffic calming measures in Venus Bay, it must secure external funding to carry out required work.
Council is currently developing designs for such measures at the locations identified in a petition from Venus Bay resident Mark Radley that contains 339 signatures and was tabled at the May council meeting.
The petition identified three key risk locations for which signatories want council to design and construct traffic calming measures.
The first of those is Lees Road between the bend east of Merkani Avenue and 30 metres east of Game Street on the bend.
‘The Mad Mile’ (Lees Road) entry to the second estate, on the bend just before Anita Crescent, is another location identified.
Lastly, the petition called for the speed limit on Lees Road in the third estate to be dropped from 80km/h to 50km/h or for council to consider traffic calming measures there.
Council acknowledges “speed issues having been raised in Venus Bay, particularly on Lees Road through the first estate”, and outlined the actions it is taking to address concerns.
“To respond to these issues, council has been developing concept designs for speed treatments on Lees Road, as well as Canterbury Road, with a view to propose the treatments as a project for potential funding under a State or Federal program.
Council has already engaged with representatives of the Victorian Government’s Department of Transport and the Transport Accident Commission, seeking to apply for grant funding through the Safe Local Roads and Streets Program.
“Should funding through the program be successful, treatments could be delivered in Venus Bay within the next two years,” council states.
As a Venus Bay resident, Cr Sarah Gilligan remarked on the impressive level of support Mr Radley’s petition attracted and said that should funding be secured to put the desired traffic calming measures in place, it will be positive news for the town.
Cr Brad Snell also spoke in support of the call to improve the safety of the identified Venus Bay roads.
Mr Radley welcomed the fact council is pursuing safety measures for Venus Bay.
“Everyone in Venus Bay will be a winner with the eventual installation of traffic calming measures in select high-danger zones,” he said, adding that many locals have stories of being tailgated or overtaken dangerously.
“It will mean safer driving on certain roads where speed limits are often ignored, as well as a better environment for cyclists, joggers, kids on bikes, parents with infants, dog walkers and people on mobility scooters,” Mr Radley remarked, saying wildlife will also benefit.