City seeks community input into Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan

The City of Greater Bendigo is seeking community input into the development of a new Greater Bendigo Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan 2022-2027 to replace the City’s Road Safety Plan developed in 2007.

The new Strategy will identify the priorities that work towards zero fatalities and a decrease in all crash injuries by focusing on:

• Safer roads through engineering and infrastructure
• Safer speeds by creating a culture where the community regards speeding as unacceptable as drink driving
• Safer people through a shared responsibility for the safety of all road users – cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists & drivers
• Safer shared paths and footpaths.

City of Greater Bendigo Presentation and Assets Director Brian Westley said the Strategy is a requirement of the Victorian Government and will align with the newly adopted Victorian Road Safety Strategy 2022-2027 and set the guidelines for reducing fatal and serious injury crashes on Bendigo’s roads over the coming years.

“When complete the new strategy will inform the necessary actions required to make improvements to road safety and guide the implementation of road safety activities within Greater Bendigo for the next five years,” Mr Westley said.

“A total of 1393 crashes have occurred within Greater Bendigo over the last five years to the end of 2019, including 385 serious injury crashes and 29 fatal crashes.

“The development of the new strategy and action plan is an important piece of work because not only will it outline key actions and priorities, it will also assist both the City and Regional Roads Victoria to apply for State and Federal funding for future road safety and infrastructure improvement projects.

“Community input into the strategy is important as the City wants to know what the community thinks about safety for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users across Greater Bendigo and how it can be improved. This feedback will greatly help establish key directions for the Strategy and Action Plan.”

Residents can have input into the strategy on the Let’s Talk Greater Bendigo website www.letstalkgreaterbendigo.com.au/road-safety-strategy-action-plan by March 28, or by attending one of the Listening Posts taking place on Friday March 18 at Heathcote IGA Supermarket from 9am to 10am and Elmore IGA from 11am and 12pm, Hargreaves Mall from 1.00pm to 3.00pm and Lansell Square Shopping Centre from 4pm to 5pm.

The City of Greater Bendigo has contracted consultants O’Brien Traffic to develop the new Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan.