By Dean Lawson

Fear of a potential disaster occurring at a major school crossing in Horsham has triggered Member for Lowan Emma Kealy into calling for a reassessment of warning signals at the site.

Ms Kealy said she believed there was a pressing need to improve traffic warning signs at the McPherson Street pedestrian crossing at Ss Michael and John’s Primary School.

“I’m calling for more conspicuous safety elements at this crossing, which would easily qualify as one of the most dangerous in Horsham,” she said.

Ms Kealy added that rising community concern about the crossing, which included intense Western Highway traffic, provided a profound reason why Horsham needed to quickly decide how to divert trucks out of the city.

“This issue has been generated by many parents posting comments on social media and all sorts of issues involving large banks of highway traffic,” she said.

“I’ve asked for immediate reassessment of the signs and other safety elements involved at the site with Country Roads Victoria. 

“I agree with the overall sentiment that what’s in place at the moment is inadequate.”

The pedestrian crossing features lights and warning signs and Horsham Rural City Council has a crossing attendant at the site during key school hours.

Hundreds of trucks travel through the heart of Horsham via Western, Henty and Wimmera highway routes every day, mingling with urban and shopping traffic.

Ms Kealy, who inspected the site with Horsham Rural City Council technical services director John Martin last week, said one option might be to have cautionary flashing yellow lights at the crossing during school hours.

“And of course this overall issue points us back in the direction where we need to get trucks out of town,” she said.

“This has to happen in the short term as well as the long term. 

“There is simply a need for this to happen and the Horsham council must make it happen.”

Ms Kealy said a Natimuk Road pedestrian crossing near Hillary Street was another worrying traffic area that had already attracted the attention of the Horsham council.

“I believe this crossing, which is part of the Wimmera Highway, also needs flashing lights and other ways to make it more conspicuous to motorists,” she said. 

Horsham Rural City Council has explored issues involving potentially dangerous crossings and intersections in the municipality in depth.

Regional Roads Victoria, formerly VicRoads, is in charge of highways, including routes that intersect populated areas, and works with municipal councils and  other stakeholders to address traffic issues.

EDITORIAL: Alternative route a must

The entire August 28, 2019 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

The entire August 28, 2019 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!