By Casey Neill
Fearful Keysborough motorists are dodging a main junction they say is chaotic and dangerous.
Bob Malcolm said he and other locals avoided using the Cheltenham-Chandler-Kirkham roads intersection.
He said that the lights did not adequately control the amount of traffic that moved through the busy junction, and wrote to Keysborough MP Martin Pakula to ask for help to improve safety.
The Journal reported in April last year that Keysborough resident Ismail Demiri said the community was “constantly living in fear” because of the intersection.
He labelled it “chaos” and said motorists found it difficult to turn left or right into the service road with big trucks blocking the road.
“For 200 to 500 metres, cars and trucks that are turning left into Cheltenham Road currently have the issue of a gravel road that contains big holes which need to be filled, as cars are struggling to drive by,” he said.
A year ago he called for an extra lane on the left side turning into Cheltenham Road and new asphalt, “which would assist in better regulation of the traffic and enhance road safety for school children and all community residents”.
At the time, Greater Dandenong Council engineering services director Julie Reed said VicRoads had previously advised “they do not support the suggestion of adding a left turn at this location, as it would likely result in encouraging more motorists to make this turn”.
“It is preferable for motorists to use alternative, higher-standard routes from the Dandenong Bypass to access Cheltenham Road, for example Perry Road,” she said last year.
In response to renewed calls for change at the intersection, Ms Reid said that “any decision relating to changes to this intersection rests with VicRoads”.
“If VicRoads seeks the council’s view on any proposed changes, the council would be more than happy to meet to discuss this,” she said.
Keysborough MP Martin Pakula said the safety of all road users was a top priority for the State Government.
“I am aware of the concerns of some local residents and I understand the Roads Minister has asked VicRoads to continue to closely monitor the intersection,” he said.
VicRoads transport and planning director Savoula Lidis said VicRoads reviewed the traffic lights at the intersection “and found that they are operating safely and efficiently”.
“We have no plans to change the sequencing, however we are happy to continue to monitor the operation of traffic lights at this intersection,” Ms Lidis said.
“Drivers are reminded to be aware of their surroundings and other road users.”
VicRoads data showed there were eight crashes at the intersection in the five-year period, ending 31 December last year.
None involved pedestrians.
Two were considered “serious” but were due to driver behaviour, not road condition or the traffic light sequence.
The traffic light sequencing of this intersection has been in place since 2011, and it is standard sequencing across similar intersections in metropolitan Melbourne.
