Thursday, 28 November 2024

Northern Victoria Region

Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (Northern Victoria) (14:06): (1301) My question today is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. Since the October 2022 floods the quiet town of Barmah has found itself part of a major truck route to and from Echuca to Moama. Locals are concerned that truck drivers have worked out that in bypassing McCoys Bridge on the Murray Valley Highway at Kotupna and instead travelling through Barmah they save time travelling to and from the major regional centre. With a current speed limit of 60 kilometres per hour, locals are extremely concerned about the safety of both residents and motorists with the increased amount of heavy vehicles travelling through the town. My constituents believe that a lower speed limit of 50 kilometres per hour through the centre of town would be safer for motorists and pedestrians. To improve safety for my constituents who reside in Barmah, I ask on their behalf: will the minister commit to directing VicRoads to investigate the safety concerns regarding the 60-kilometre-per-hour speed limit zone through the township of Barmah, with a view to lowering the speed limit to a safer speed for all road users?