By NOEL MURPHY
CITY Hall’s contentious central city truck re-routing is dangerous, according to Geelong MP Ian Trezise.
Up to 1000 extra trucks had moved from Malop and Mercer to Ryrie and McKillop streets but one of the biggest threats was on busy Latrobe Tce, he said.
Hundreds more trucks were now turning downhill into McKillop St only to confront its railway boomgates almost immediately with nowhere to go, he said.
“This is in addition to the problems they present driving further along McKillop past St Mary’s primary, the CFA, Ambulance Victoria and a childcare centre,” Mr Trezise said.
“Not one of these was consulted – it’s not only the residents – and there was a lot of anger at the public information session we had.
“My concern is that the council made its decision on 8 October to block truck traffic on Malop and Mercer with no input from residents but it wasn’t until five days before the trial being implemented that residents were invited to an information session.”
Mr Trezise said the six-month trial would in fact operate for 12 months.
Angry East Geelong residents feared the trial would permanently add 500 extra trucks a day to Ryrie St.
The trial will record any changes in traffic volume on all key east-west roads in central Geelong. Trucks delivering to city area shops are exempt.
Cr Michelle Heagney, who holds council’s Central Geelong portfolio, said early indications were promising for the Malop St truck restrictions, with excellent compliance among drivers.
City services manager Gary Van Driel said most of the heavy trucks diverting from Malop St route were instead travelling along Ryrie St, with a few using Latrobe Tce and McKillop St.
VicRoads was satisfied the alternative routes were working satisfactorily and drivers and transport operators had made few complaints about the restrictions, he said.
