By Matthew Sims
A petition calling for the easing of congestion along Taylors Road and the declaration of part of the thoroughfare as an arterial road has almost reached its goal of 500 signatures.
Brimbank councillor Ranka Rasic created the petition to request for Roads and Road Safety Minister Ben Carroll to address the community’s concerns in relation to congestion issues on Taylors Road between Kings Road and Watervale Boulevard, as well as declare the section as an arterial road and fund the duplication of the section.
She said ongoing developments in the region would contribute to further congestion on the road.
“In late 2020, Taylors Road was extended west in the City of Melton to connect with Leakes Road, Aintree and the Western Freeway,” Cr Rasic said.
“While the six-lane cross section will not be required for some time, this extension has increased the strategic importance of the corridor in the broader regional road network and the road is increasingly performing an arterial function.”
A state government spokesperson said the government would continue to monitor traffic flow on Taylors Road to ensure it remains safe for everyone and a declaration of Taylors Road as an arterial road would be considered as part of any future upgrades.
“We’re also planning for the future to ensure our road network can continue to cater to residential growth for decades to come,” the spokesperson said.
“We will continue to monitor our road network, including Taylors Road, to ensure Victorians can get where they need to go.”
As previously reported by Star Weekly, the council passed a notice of motion to write to the Roads and Road Safety Minister Ben Carroll to highlight a number of council’s concerns with the Department of Transport’s recent response to council, including that it would not consider the declaration of Taylors Road as an arterial road until after 2025.
