Group out of the loop

By Casey Neill
TORMORE Road Lights Action Group founder Peter Cole has slammed Knox council’s interim solution for the Tormore and Boronia Roads intersection.
At their 20 May meeting, councillors voted to request VicRoads install detector loops in the Tormore Road and Narcissus Road side streets.
Mayor Jim Penna said detector loops would activate the nearby pedestrian crossing signals after a car had been stationary in the side street for a period of time, ‘creating an adequate break in traffic flow for cars to enter Boronia Road safely’.
“Until we get a proper commitment for traffic lights, these detector loops will help prevent serious accidents at the intersection,” he said.
He said the council would continue to advocate for full signalisation at the intersection.
But Mr Cole said two $40,000 detector loops would only cause more trouble.
“Motorists will be outraged to be sitting at the pedestrian lights on Boronia Road when they are red and no one is crossing,” he said.
“As usual the Knox council is looking at the easy way out.”
Mr Cole has asked Cr Penna to reverse the council’s decision at its next meeting.
“We need to fight all the way to get a full set of lights installed at the intersection before someone dies,” he said.
VicRoads metropolitan south-east regional director Steve Brown told the Mail that the council’s request would be considered.
“The installation of such a device is expected to improve the safety of the intersection as well as reduce waiting times for turning traffic,” he said.
Last week the Mail reported Mr Cole was told that if in four hours Boronia and Tormore Roads were used by more than 600 and 200 cars respectively, legally VicRoads must install signals.
Mr Brown said if this level of traffic flow was recorded at a site, traffic signals may be considered but the number of vehicles using Tormore Road and Narcissus Avenue was considered low and did not meet the guidelines.
Mr Cole said his meeting with Mr Brown last week was ‘pointless’.
“He kept saying that this intersection does not give us ‘bang for our buck’,” he said.
“This is an awful thing to say that unless it provides a return for VicRoads it’s not worth doing.
“I thought road safety was about fixing things to make the roads safer not to look at it as an investment.”
In a meeting with Mr Cole last Wednesday, Opposition justice spokesman Brian Tee pledged his support for the group.
The Tormore Road Lights Action Group will hold a protest at the intersection today (Tuesday 27 May) at 5.30pm.