EDITORIAL: MOTORISTS across the south-west are no doubt wondering if VicRoads’ bureaucrats ever leave the comfort of their warm offices and get out into the real world.
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If they travelled along the crumbling roads that we are forced to use on a daily basis they would realise that not all is as rosy as they would like us to believe.
A case in point came last Thursday morning when a truck aquaplaned on an extremely slippery road just north of Camperdown, rolling and injuring the driver. Locals can recall about five similar accidents on the same section of the Camperdown-Lismore Road, just a few kilometres from town.
The busy route is a favourite short cut to Melbourne for traffic wanting to avoid the highway duplication works east of Winchelsea, so it carries plenty of traffic, including trucks and school buses.
Many have been quick to blame Corangamite Shire for the problem, but it is a main road and therefore the responsibility lies with VicRoads. A shire-owned street sweeper was even one of the vehicles that came to grief on the route several months ago.
So when is enough enough for VicRoads?
Their crews installed permanent 60km/h speed limit signs on a short section after the second-last accident and extra signs went up late last week warning of the slippery surface.
But VicRoads’ south-west director William Tieppo told The Standard last week the agency had no plans to upgrade the road, apart from regular maintenance.
He said staff inspected the road on a fortnightly basis and applied “interim treatments as required”, including filling potholes.
What Mr Tieppo fails to understand is that it’s not about maintenance or potholes. The road is like an ice skating rink. It needs to be resurfaced to make it safe.
Emergency services must be crossing their fingers every time they get a call-out.
We’ve been relatively lucky to date. Trucks can be replaced and minor injuries heal.
Let’s hope it doesn’t take a fatality before the powers that be finally act.