Truck drivers are allegedly using a school bus interchange in Brown Hill to rest overnight, and residents are concerned about the additional traffic in the quiet streets.
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Les Porter, who lives in the area, said he and others had noticed more trucks driving down Water Street late at night and early in the morning - some, he said, he thought were speeding.
He discovered truck drivers were parking at the bus interchange on Melbourne Road, before heading back to the freeway or through town to Geelong.
"Most of them are taking off at 4am in the morning to get back on the freeway," he said.
"The council has said (Melbourne Road) isn't an arterial road, any B-doubles have to have permission to use this road - all those big trucks have to have permits, but to stop and sleep is a whole different ball game.
"It's getting worse."
He said more truck stops on the freeway could help, as it was inappropriate for trucks to park in such a residential area.
According to Regional Roads Victoria, between Ballan and Ararat there are several areas, private and council-owned, where truck drivers can take a break safely.
These include the Ballan service centre, Bungaree weighbridge site, Pykes Creek, Leigh Creek, Woodman's Hill, the Ballarat Avenue of Honour interchange, a truck rest area between Ballarat and Beaufort, the Beaufort township, a rest area between Beaufort and Buangor and the service centre outside the Ararat township.
CHECK OUT A MAP OF FREEWAY TRUCK STOPS BETWEEN BEAUFORT AND BALLAN
Mr Porter said he understood more slow down signs would be installed.
The City of Ballarat, which is responsible for Melbourne Road and the bus interchange, is investigating.
A statement from council notes signage at the entry to the interchange "clearly states" it is for 'School Buses and Authorised Vehicles Only'.
"Matters of this nature are taken seriously by Council and traffic assessment, including traffic count/speed monitoring devices will be placed in the road reserve to ascertain specific data to inform further action from council, the police and potentially others," the statement reads.
"Council has liaised directly with VicRoads and the police in relation to the matter and we will pursue truck drivers that use this as an unauthorised parking area.
"Council is committed to providing a safe urban street environment and the interface of heavy vehicles into our suburban network needs to be managed in a very careful way."
Police urge residents to use Crime Stoppers' Hoon Hotline if they suspect motorists are speeding on 1800 333 000.
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