The community remains divided about the possibility of installing controversial wire barriers after urgent safety steps have been called for along Ballarat’s Avenue of Honour.
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Lowering speed limits and the wire safety barriers are just two of the safety measures that have been hotly debated and rejected in the past but the troubled stretch of road is again in the spotlight after another horrific crash at the weekend.
The latest development comes after Avenue of Honour committee president-elect Garry Snowden reversed an earlier position of the group by saying the committee would support wire barriers along the stretch of road.
Councilor and Avenue of Honour committee member Daniel Moloney has continuously pushed to reduce the speed of Remembrance Drive to 80 kilometres per hour.
“These incidents can have tragic consequences,” he said. “I’ve seen it first hand, I’ve been there in the aftermath of a crash where a father and his kids were lucky to be alive. Anything that can be done to reduce the likelihood of fatalities should be done.”
VicRoads has previously calculated that dropping the speed limit to 80 kilometres per hour would increase travel time for Cardigan commuters by 70 seconds.
Cr Moloney believes this is a small price to pay to potentially save lives.
“People keep saying ‘just take better care and drive to the conditions’, but it doesn’t take much. We all like to think of ourselves as the perfect driver, and that this could never happen to us, but we all make mistakes.”
This comes as the 19-year-old involved in Saturday morning's crash remains fighting for his life in the Royal Melbourne Hospital Intensive Care Unit, in a critical condition with head injuries.
VicRoads would not comment specifically on wire barriers. “Safety is our top priority, and we will examine all factors relating to the crash on the Avenue of Honour,” Regional Roads Victoria Western Region regional director Mal Kersting said.
“We will work closely with the Avenue of Honour Committee, Victoria Police and the community to find a solution to enhance safety, and at the same time, protect the Avenue.”
Debate raged online as some members of the public have called for drivers to take more care when travelling on Remembrance Drive rather than implementing physical measures.
This comes following Avenue of Honour committee president-elect Gary Snowden saying the committee would support wire barriers along the stretch of road.
In response to the news, one commenter said “No, never. Teach people how to drive instead of teaching them how to get a licence.”
Others retorted, simply saying “Yes, barriers save lives.”
Cr Moloney wants people to be more open to change along the road; “You can continue to dismiss it, but these accidents keep on happening.”
While a survey conducted by The Courier showed opinions on the installation of barriers were evenly divided, some feedback simply wanted more driver education.
There have been three deaths on the road since 2010 – all involving high speeds and trees, multiple serious injuries and countless near misses. Saturday’s victim remains in a critical condition.
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