Bid to improve danger junction

By Ed Merrison
AN UPWEY woman wants to see a dangerous driving manoeuvre outlawed in Tecoma.
Fem Koenders said drivers rushing up the wrong side of the road were endangering other road users.
The problem arises when Belgrave-bound drivers overtake banked up traffic at the traffic lights in order to reach a right-hand turning arrow into McNicol Road.
The drivers can be unsighted and unexpected for road users turning right towards Upwey from the Tecoma shops’ car park on the left-hand side of Burwood Highway.
Ms Koenders, who works in Tecoma’s shopping precinct, was involved in just such a collision as she left work on Friday, 24 November.
An eastbound car overtaking stationary traffic collided with hers as she edged her way through a ‘keep clear’ zone to make the turn towards Upwey.
Ms Koenders wants to see a continuous double line dividing the lanes leading up to the right-hand lane box to prohibit such a manoeuvre.
“It’s ridiculous,” she said.
“The traffic banks up quite a long way there and drivers pull out and go shooting up the wrong side of the road to McNicol Road.”
Ms Koenders said co-workers found the situation “insane” and would no longer risk a right-hand turn from the car park.
Following a call from Ms Koenders, experts from VicRoads will be visiting the site this week.
A spokeswoman for VicRoads commended Ms Koenders for bringing the issue to its attention, but was not able to comment on the road configuration in Tecoma.
“We’re happy to work with the community to look at various issues as they arise,” she said.
“Before making recommendations it is important VicRoads goes out to inspect the site.”