Shamsiya Hussainpoor
The Patch local resident Coralie Jenkins has concerns for the dangerous road where she dwells.
Mrs Jenkins has been living in the Monbulk Road for the past 40 years and the number of accidents she’s been witnessing seems to be continuing after four decades.
“The accidents have just been ongoing,” she said.
“They make such a noise, we often run down to see who’s injured, in the past we’ve taken out blankets and things until an ambulance arrives.
“We assisted where we could but then we found it was recurring.”
Mrs Jenkins said as expected during wet weather, the accidents seem to increase – especially cars coming from Monbulk.
“I don’t think it’s just speed, I think it’s the camber in the road that throws the cars out when they’re coming around the corner but I’m not an engineer,” she said.
“We always slow down for our driveway and we’re always cautious of that bend, but other people who may not be familiar with the road may not be as cautious – it’s most certainly not just speed.”
The speed limit for the road was 80 km/h but over the years this has been adjusted down to 60 km/h.
“It didn’t stop the accidents from occurring,” she said.
Each year when the drains are dug out to remove the weeds – it becomes deeper and bigger.
“If the car gets thrown a little bit, then they’re hooked on the edge and that’s what takes them down into the drain – they don’t get a second chance to get out of it,” she said.
In recent times, barriers were built along the road to prevent cars from rolling down into the creek.
“It’s a shame the barriers are not extended past our driveway because when you come to the bottom of our driveway that’s where the cars will go over the edge, if they extended the barriers it could prevent the cars going over the edge,” she said.
Mrs Jenkins said VicRoads put up a sign 35 km/h for the bend but it got driven through a few times and it hasn’t been replaced again.
In the five year period to June 2023, there have been 16 reported crashes along Monbulk Road between Perrins Creek Road and Olinda-Monbulk Road with two resulting in serious injury and zero fatalities.
Mrs Jenkins said she has tried contacting VicRoads to report the incidents but the call-wait time is too long.
The accidents they have been witnessing over the last four decades have troubled them.
“It’s quite disturbing because you don’t know what you’re going to confront when you go down there,” she said.
Fortunately most of the times there are no serious injuries to the drivers but serious damages are almost certain for the cars.
“It would be good to consider that insurance companies would unite together and put pressure on VicRoads to fix this problem, which would save both drivers and insurance companies a lot of pain and suffering – financially and emotionally,” she said.
“Much less eliminating road closures and congested traffic building, whilst cars are being extricated.”
A Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson said it is everyone’s responsibility to look out for others and share the roads safely.
“Safety is our number one priority and we welcome community feedback about ways we can improve transport connections on Monbulk Road,” they said.
“We urge motorists to drive to the conditions, particularly in areas they might not be familiar with, and we will continue to monitor safety along Monbulk Road.”
The neighbours on Monbulk Road, especially Mrs Jenkins, often end up cleaning big pieces of car parts that tow trucks leave behind.
She said some of these parts are too big to fit into their bins and it becomes more rubbish in her garden.
The Department of Transport and Planning will continue to monitor this location.
