The Mornington Peninsula has a disproportionally high number of road deaths and road trauma incidents when compared with other parts of Victoria.
We’ve experienced the equal highest number of road deaths among Victoria’s 79 municipalities for the period 2014 to 2021.
In the past decade alone 73 people have been killed and over 1,300 seriously injured on our roads, including significant numbers of pedestrians and cyclists.
The devastating impacts of road trauma on our community are not just felt when someone has lost their life. Serious injuries are the ‘hidden’ road toll, with ongoing pain, suffering and long-term impairment upending the lives of those impacted, as well as the lives of their families.
Unsurprisingly, improving safety for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists in both our urban and rural areas is one of the highest priorities for our community and our Council.
For far too long we have lacked the funding to address the many sites where road trauma is prevalent.
We are asking the Victorian Government for urgent funding to save lives on our roads. We need at least $50 million to have an impact on the significant road trauma taking place on the Mornington Peninsula’s roads.
This funding includes:
• Upgrading four high-risk intersections – $25 million
• Pedestrian safety upgrades – $18 million
• Improvements to on-road cycling to reduce casualties – $7 million
This will improve key arterial intersections, as well as pedestrian and cyclist safety and current projects under development by the Department of Transport.
Further priorities include:
• $40 million to make five more high-risk intersections safe
• $25 million to improve safety along Western Port Highway
Shout out for the Peninsula. Should out for safer roads. Shout out to save lives on our roads. Demand better. Act now. Visit: mornpen.vic.gov.au/SHOUTOUT
Quotes attributable to Mayor, Anthony Marsh:
“The statistics are shocking! Families are devastated by the trauma and death experienced on our roads and we need to take action to make our roads safer.
“We should all be able to safely travel to school, work or holiday destination. Road conditions, road safety infrastructure, and better cycling and pedestrian considerations will significantly affect safety across our vast road network. We must demand better from our politicians now – we urgently need $50 million to fix our most dangerous roads.”
