By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
WINSOME Anderson has spent hundreds of dollars tidying up the mess created by careless drivers on one of Clyde’s most notorious corners.
“I’ve had to fix my fence dozens of times because cars have smashed through it,” Ms Anderson told Star News.
“I am a victim of crime.”
A farmer and Clyde resident of 24 years, Ms Anderson said the corner of Ballarto Road and Twyford Road – her address – has been home to several smashed up cars, the latest left parked on the side of the road for three weeks.
“Two years ago two flipped in one day on that corner,” Ms Anderson said.
“The car went into my property, I was left yet again to pay for the expense of the fence and replace posts.”
An accident at the corner involving a hatchback in early May had locals speaking out on a Pakenham Crime and Theft Facebook page.
A picture of the smashed up car was posted on Saturday 14 May and the comments that followed read:
Aaryn: Seen it 30 mins after it happened Wednesday night kid walked away without a scratch. Head on into the power pole bounced him into the ditch. One lucky dude.
Robert: That corner has had heaps of cars crashing people take it way to quick.
Lindsay: Yeah fresh marks on the power pole on the opposite side to where the car sits. You can’t cut that corner because the pole will always win. Glad to hear the driver is ok.
Brett: That is epic! Dude must have been fanging it!
The car sat parked on the side of the road for three weeks and was picked up on Tuesday 24 May.
Ms Anderson confirmed the social media comments, saying the hatchback had hit the power pole and spun.
“It sat there for three weeks but didn’t slow any of the traffic down,” she said.
“What if people had been driving in the opposite direction? It would have been a horrific smash.
“In two years there have been two out-of-control cars come through my fence and two on the opposite side of the road and two recent crashes.
“The increase of accidents on that corner is increasing tenfold because there’s more traffic on the roads. My concerns are, does someone have to die before action is taken?”
An accident on Monday 14 March left Ms Anderson with a car sitting on her property with no registration plates for a week, after it crashed through her fence about 2am.
The speed limit at the corner is 65km/h and Ms Anderson is calling for rumble strips and warning sings to be installed.
Bass MP Brian Paynter met with Ms Anderson on Monday 23 May.
Mr Paynter has advised that he will write to Roads Minister Luke Donnellan requesting rumble strips be installed on the bend to prevent further accidents.
The City of Casey’s 2016/17 draft budget features a capital works investment of more than $154 million.
One of the major initiatives in 2016/17 includes the construction of Valetta Street in Clyde off Ballarto and Railway roads.
