Residents of a busy Taylors Lakes’ street have done an about-face and asked Brimbank council not to install speed humps, despite requesting them in 2008 and 2010.
At a meeting earlier this month, Brimbank councillors agreed not to proceed with the installation of speed humps on McCubbin Drive, but to continue to monitor traffic speeds.
Almost eight years ago residents complained to the council about drivers exceeding the street’s 50km/h limit.
In response to concerns, the council conducted traffic surveys in 2008 and 2010, finding that drivers were travelling at high speeds in certain parts of the street.
Consultation with McCubbin Drive home owners in 2010 found 70 per cent were in favour of road humps as a solution.
Following the audits and communication with residents, council’s infrastructure and environment director Neil Whiteside reported that, given the high level of property owner/occupier support for the road humps, a business case was needed to find the funds.
The project was given a priority ranking.
About $75,000 was allocated to install five speed humps as part of the 2015-16 budget. But when residents were notified about the location of each speed hump late last year, the council said it began fielding calls from people who didn’t want them in front of their home.
The calls prompted the council to conduct another survey, which was carried out last September, asking all residents again whether they supported the project.
The survey revealed just 53 per cent of respondents were in favour, leading Mr Whiteside to recommend the project be called off and the money directed elsewhere.
One resident, who did not want to be named, told Star Weekly she was disappointed that people had changed their minds.
“People speed along here every day. It’s a 50-kilometre-an-hour zone, but I think they’d hit 80,” she said. “I don’t let my children play out the front, it’s too dangerous.”
But another resident, Maria Medloby, said she never noticed speeding drivers.
“We don’t want them [speed humps]. It’s not such big traffic so what’s the point?”
