Residents have aired frustration over a “lack of action” in speed reduction on Pearsons Road in Trentham East.
They say the road’s 100km/h speed limit is “another catastrophe waiting to happen” and its not the first time they’ve called for action.
“With vehicles, trucks and tradespeople numbers ever on the increase, at 100km/h nothing on the road stands a chance,” said Susie Kilby, Trentham East resident.
“I’m doing everything I can to advocate for change. Prevention is much better than an accident. I feel there’s always a shadow of another catastrophe waiting to happen.”
In 1980, Ms Kilby was one of the first responders at the scene of a multi-fatal car crash where the Pearsons Road intersects with James Lane.
She successfully campaigned for the give way signs to become stop signs, but decades later, the road speed remains a concern.
Ms Kilby is also calling for refreshed line-marking and for the road to be widened at the Chanters Lane end.
Hepburn and Macedon Ranges shire councils share a management plan for the road.
For clarity, a small section of Pearsons Road borders both shires (between James Lane and Hickeys Road). Hepburn is responsible for coordinating required works to this section, with the agreement seeing Macedon Ranges contributing half of the required funding. Pearsons Road then turns into Chanters Lane, which Macedon Ranges is responsible for maintaining.
Councils work with Department of Transport and Planning to assess and determine speeds on council-managed roads, based on DTP’s Traffic Engineering Manual and Speed Zoning Guidelines.
A Hepburn Shire spokesperson said the last evaluation of Pearsons Road was undertaken in 2018.
“The review did not recommend a speed limit change as the hazards identified were either rectified through maintenance or isolated in their nature,” they said.
“The guidelines at the time state that roads shall be evaluated in their entirety, not in isolated sections. The evaluation took into account the measured speeds, with 85 per cent of vehicles travelling at 85km/h or less.”
Both Hepburn and Macedon Ranges shire councils have committed to reviewing the road against the updated guidelines.
Hepburn said various improvements had been carried out for Pearsons Road including signage, line-marking, parking restrictions, vegetation management, drainage works and pavement patching.
Current capital works include rehabilitation of the eastern end of Pearsons Road and Chanters Lane in the 2024/25 financial year.
Hepburn Shire Council has preliminary planning for James Lane / Pearsons Road intersection works subject to future state road safety funding.
MRSC’s acting director of assets and operations, Simon Finlay, confirmed works on Chanters Lane were scheduled.
“Reconstruction of a section of Chanters Lane from Ashbourne Road to Pearsons Road (Hickeys Road) has been funded in council’s budget and works are scheduled to start later this year, pending relevant permits,” he said.
“In partnership with Hepburn, these works will extend to include 600m of Pearsons Road (just past Beatties Road).”
He said, outside of these works, over the past two years MRSC had undertaken minor road stabilisation and resealing works to sections of Chanters Lane between Ashbourne Road and Tylden-Woodend Road, and re-sheeted the shoulders of the narrow sealed section of Chanters Lane.
“More broadly, MRSC will undertake an audit of all council-managed roads in the 2024/25 financial year, which will determine road priorities for the next four years,” he said.
