Gillies Road runs through Mount Rowan and Sulky, providing connections to Miners Rest, Clunes and Creswick.

The thoroughfare is now used as an alternative to the roadwork-plagued Midland Highway.

At an ordinary council meeting on Wednesday night, councillors resolved to continue advocacy for a reduction of the 100km/h speed limit to 80km/h on Gillies Road between Olliers Road and Kennedys Road.

Seven accidents causing injury have occurred between Olliers Road and Kennedys Road over five years. 

North ward councillor Grant Tillett, who lives on the stretch, said residents agreed measures needed to be taken to improve safety.

“A group of friends of mine very nearly got killed last weekend near the intersection with Learmonth-Sulky Road,” he said.  

“All residents of Gillies Road are in agreement and say there should be some calming of it, from at least Kennedy’s Road.”

Councillor Amy Johnson, who voted against the motion, said that “speed reductions or roads closures” were the go-to choice in improving road safety, instead of encouraging the public to “drive to conditions” and putting the responsibility back on road-users.

Average midweek traffic has increased 37 per cent between 2006 and 2017, with 4,704 vehicles daily in 2017.

It is understood no formal application has been made to VicRoads by City of Ballarat to change the speed limit along Gillies Road.