Slow down! Susanne Sullivan, Lucy Addison, Colin Butler and Kath Carns carefully cross the road in Tooradin. Picture: Meagan Rogers.
By Glen Atwell
CASEY councillor Colin Butler is driving a campaign to have the 80 km/h speed limit through Tooradin reduced to 70.
Cr Butler said drivers travelling through the township on the South Gippsland Highway were reluctant to slow down although there are many pedestrians.
“They come into the town sitting on 100 km/h and slow down to about 90 km/h as a token gesture,” he said.
“This is way too fast. It’s dangerous for the people that work in Tooradin,” Cr Butler said.
After recently announcing he would not seek re-election to Casey council later this year, Cr Butler said he would work hard to have the limit changed before the end of the current term.
“I’ve spent 10 years battling for the speed limit to be reduced,” he said.
Cr Butler said that a recent survey of vehicle speed along the South Gippsland Highway revealed an alarming number of drivers were speeding.
“Of the approximate 20,000 vehicles that travel through Tooradin every day, about 30 per cent are speeding,” he said.
“We went to VicRoads and were basically told this was not enough to have the limit reduced.
“What needs to happen for the speed limit to be changed?” Cr Butler asked.
City of Casey manager of transport Paul Hamilton said that council traffic surveys indicate that traffic volumes on the South Gippsland Highway through Tooradin vary throughout the week from 15,000 to 20,000 vehicles per day.
“There can be in the order of 30 per cent of motorists travelling above the posted speed limit in any particular hour,” he said.
“This continues to be a concern for the local community which is why council has been seeking approval from VicRoads to have the speed limit lowered.
“Unfortunately, to date, VicRoads has declined council’s requests for a lower speed limit on the South Gippsland Highway within the Tooradin township,” Mr Hamilton said.
