Lower the limit

By Bridget Brady
A LONG-time Tooradin resident has backed calls from traders to lower the speed limit on the main street, after a recent near- miss.
Aileen Gray, who is in her seventies, watched in shock as a truck ran a red light on the South Gippsland Highway recently, just as she was about to cross the road when the walk signals turned green.
“This truck just went straight through in front of me and ran a red light,” she said.
The 80km/h speed limit on the South Gippsland Highway was too dangerous and needed to be lowered to about 60km/h near the shopping area, Ms Gray said.
Tooradin traders last fortnight said pedestrians crossing the road to access shops were at risk on the busy road. They said the problem had escalated in recent years as Tooradin grew busier.
Ms Gray said truck drivers were the main speeding culprits.
“They (trucks) roll through there and they don’t go 80km/h I’m telling you that. I think they are going too fast and when they come up to the crossing they just can’t stop and they just hope you don’t walk out.”
“It’s just getting busier and busier and the traffic is just speeding through. I just think are they going to wait until someone is killed?”
Ms Gray said she was mostly worried about the safety of children who crossed the road.
VicRoads did not provide comment on the possibility of reducing the speed limit before the News went to print.