Sunbury’s notorious Horne Street and Gap Road intersection, and the nearby level crossing, are not a priority, the latest VicRoads’ level crossing report states.
The town’s most dangerous intersection missed out on a mention in VicRoads’ priority list of dangerous level crossings of metropolitan Melbourne, which was released on October 16.
About 27,000 vehicles travel on Horne Street each day, and 18,000 on Gap Road.
Vehicle numbers, combined with boomgates at the level crossing 200 metres south of the intersection, result in significant traffic disruptions in the town centre, especially during school and work peak hours.
The Horne Street-Gap Road intersection was counted among Victoria’s top 10 traffic hot spots in RACV’s biennial survey earlier this year.
Road level crossing removals at Caulfield, Frankston and Glen Waverley took highest priority in the VicRoads report.
As reported in Star Weekly recently, Western Metropolitan Liberal MP Bernie Finn was vocal in criticising Labor government ministers over their inaction on road projects and planning for Sunbury.
‘‘This government is kicking Sunbury from pillar to post, and it must stop,’’ Mr Finn said. ‘‘I ask the Premier … stop the war on Sunbury.’’
A spokesman for Roads Minister Luke Donnellan denied there had been indecision about the Sunbury intersection, pointing to a $15,000 planning study that began in June.
‘‘Data will be used in consultation with residents and businesses, as well as Hume council, to determine the best solution,” the spokesman said. “[This] may include traffic lights.’’
Sunbury Residents Association president Bernie O’Farrell says residents will continue to call for traffic lights at the intersection.
“With the population growth, the congestion that occurs is getting worse,” Mr O’Farrell said. “That’s why it needs to have treatment sooner rather than later.”
He said there was also a need for new traffic measures to deal with Gap Road’s intersection with Riddell Road.
This request was first put in by the residents’ association more than a decade ago, Mr O’Farrell said.
