Wednesday, 17 May 2023

Mickleham–Somerton roads, Greenvale

Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (18:11): (229) My adjournment matter tonight is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. The action I seek is for the minister to commit to an expedited replacement of the roundabout intersection of Somerton Road and Mickleham Road with traffic lights, not three years from now, not subject to being saved by federal Labor’s infrastructure cuts – sorry, review. This needs to be fixed right away.

Earlier this month I was delighted to welcome Leader of the Opposition John Pesutto to the electorate of Northern Metropolitan in the suburb of Greenvale, and what a warm reception he had. What I heard and what we heard from Greenvale residents was that many of them are afraid to actually drive down Somerton Road and drive down Mickleham Road and go through that roundabout. Witnessing the roundabout firsthand, it is not hard to see why. Every day locals experience near misses on the roundabout of Somerton Road and Mickleham Road. If you manage to avoid the potholes, you are confronted with a roundabout that is too small and poorly marked. It creates endless confusion for drivers and is an accident waiting to happen. Indeed over the last few years there have been quite a few accidents, and it concerns me greatly. It is only a matter of time before there is a fatality, and that is the view of many Greenvale residents. Gemima, a local resident, dubbed it a ‘Russian roulette roundabout’. Another, Margie, called the road more a deathtrap than a convenience. Kerime said that she is always on pins and needles entering the roundabout with two small kids in the back.

Members of the chamber would be unsurprised to hear that this dangerous roundabout forms part of the over-budget, long-delayed and less-than-half-committed Mickleham Road upgrade project – the same project on the federal government hit list that could be scrapped by the federal government entirely. I will note the government have said that they will install traffic lights, but we still do not have a time line. We still do not have a firm date, so locals feel like they have been left in the lurch. Once again Daniel Andrews and Labor are too focused on pumping up massive cost overruns on inner eastern Melbourne pet projects, and it is the people of Greenvale who lose out.

The government needs to, as I have been saying for a long time in regard to this project, stop taking the micky with Mickleham Road. Let us not forget Victoria’s interest bill on our debt is costing us $10 million a day. Over three weeks, the banks are receiving the same amount as their costing of the Mickleham Road duplication. So the action I seek from the government is to expedite the replacement of this dangerous deathtrap of a roundabout with traffic lights and stop taking the micky with Mickleham Road.