Council defends speeding limit

By Ed Merrison
KNOX City Council has defended traffic-safety devices amid claims that speeding motorists are endangering lives in Ferntree Gully.
Ferntree Gully Liberal candidate Nick Wakeling first wrote to the council in February raising concerns about Francis Crescent, which features Local Area Traffic Management (LATM) treatments aimed at reducing driver speed.
Mr Wakeling said residents were concerned that some of the treatments were having no effect on some drivers.
“I have personally watched vehicles driving ‘straight over’ the device near Dorset Road. Given its proximity to both the Arboretum and Dobson Park, it is important that the current LATM treatments are reviewed,” he said.
Mr Wakeling wrote a further letter to the council on Monday, 3 April expressing residents’ concern for the safety of ducks from the Tim Neville Arboretum crossing the same stretch of road.
“Given the speed reached by some vehicles along this road, it is only a matter of time before one of our local waterfowl is struck by a vehicle.
“Residents would like to see some appropriate signage along Francis Crescent. Knox is blessed by its natural environment and these measures would assist in preserving our local duck population,” Mr Wakeling said.
Hillcrest Avenue resident Doreen Slater said she had seen several near misses involving schoolchildren and birds.
“People are just going mad down that road and they don’t slow down – they just toot their horn.
“The speed limit is supposed to be 50km/h, but some of these drivers would not know what it was along there at all,” she said.
Ms Slater said there should be more signs displaying the speed limit, and also claimed four-wheel-drive vehicles were driving straight over safety devices.
Council director of engineering and infrastructure, Ian Bell, responded to the concerns by defending the safety infrastructure.
“Council conducted traffic counts in June last year that showed the traffic-control devices are working effectively, as the average speed of vehicles was well below the current speed limit of 50km/h.
“Council has no plans, at this stage, to revise the existing traffic devices in Francis Crescent as traffic counts show they are working effectively to reduce traffic,” he said.
However, the council has seen fit to alert motorists to the presence of the ducks. “Council investigated this issue and the outcome was that duck-crossing signs will shortly be installed in Francis Crescent,” he said.