All-day parks in Macedon and Barkly streets in Sunbury will be restricted to two hours as part of a new traffic plan for the town centre.
The plan, which was adopted by Hume council last Monday, includes more than $226,500 of works to improve traffic, parking and pedestrian safety in the town centre.
It was compiled following a survey of residents, businesses and traders last year and a public meeting in January.
The plan stated that three unrestricted parking bays in the Macedon Street service road in front of Sunbury Community Health should be reduced to two-hour parking to free up spaces for visitors to the health centre.
A parking survey found the unrestricted bays have a high occupancy rate between 10am and 4pm, with most motorists staying longer than three hours.
The plan also recommendeds that five unrestricted parking spaces in the Barkly Street off-street carpark be restricted to two hours to stop train commuters from using the spaces.
As part of the plan, the council will ask VicRoads to contribute to the cost of installing traffic lights at the intersection of Macedon and Barkly streets.
A report to council said traffic volumes in Evans Street were higher than those in Barkly Street because motorists found it difficult to turn right from Barkly Street into Macedon Street at the existing uncontrolled T-intersection.
“Therefore, motorists wishing to turn right into Macedon Street tend to favour Evans Street where they can turn at the roundabout,” the report stated.
The intersection has been the site of three recorded crashes in the past five years.
It is estimated it would cost $1.2 million to install traffic lights at the intersection.
Cr Jack Medcraft said the lights were essential.
“I know someone who was involved in an accident there. It is a shocking intersection,” he said.
Other works include installing road humps in the Harris Scarfe carpark, a raised pedestrian crossing on Evans Street in front of Harris Scarfe and Foodworks and concrete islands on Evans Street in the vicinity of Sunbury Square Shopping Centre.
“We are trying to solve the problems that we have [in the town centre],” Cr Medcraft said.
“The council and the state government will be discussing a tiered carpark to ease the parking congestion. If we can get that built, it will make a difference.”
