FEBRUARY 20, 2018 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
Crash road cash pledge By Serena Seyfort
Brushing up on health
(Benjamin Millar)
A $5.4 million upgrade to reduce the risk and severity of crashes on notorious Sunbury Road will start this month. Flexible safety barriers will be installed and the road will be widened between Tullamarine Freeway and Oaklands Road as part of the state government’s Towards Zero strategy. The upgrade comes after 13 crashes were recorded on the stretch of road in the five years to July, 2016, leaving one person dead and seven seriously injured, according to VicRoads. Hume councillor Jack Medcraft, who has been lobbying for safety improvements at the road for five years, said he was “very happy” barriers would now block drivers from doing U-turns. Cr Medcraft said he began calling for changes to the road when he was involved in a near-miss passing the airport. “We were heading to a council meeting and we almost got wiped out by a car doing a U-turn at 100 kilometres per hour,” he said. The Jacksons Creek ward councillor said drivers continued to do U-turns even after he successfully pushed for the speed limit to be lowered to 80km/h. Sunbury Road is a major access route between Sunbury and Melbourne Airport, with VicRoads data showing about 21,000 vehicles use the road each day Sunbury MP Josh Bull, who announced the project last week, said it would help ensure those on the road got home safely. “We’re getting on with these important safety works to prevent crashes on this busy stretch of Sunbury Road,” Mr Bull said. “Everybody makes mistakes, but they shouldn’t have to pay for these with their life.” Hume mayor Geoff Porter thanked the state government for the $5.4 million investment, but said the road would be made safer by duplication. “Any step towards decreasing road trauma is fantastic news,” Cr Porter said. “Council believes that, ultimately, duplication of Sunbury Road is the best solution to addressing road safety, as well as congestion, on Sunbury Road.” Work scheduled to begin late this month will involve placing safety barriers along the centre and side of the road to reduce head-on and run-off-road crashes. New lighting will be installed and the road will be widened to accommodate the barriers. The upgrade is expected to be completed by the middle of the year.
A recent announcement has had local children and parents smiling. Macedon Ranges preschool children will receive free fluoride varnish to prevent tooth decay as part of a new state government program. Macedon Ranges towns are non-fluoridated – meaning the protective chemical fluoride is not present in the water supply. The varnish has proven to be highly effective in stopping tooth decay among at-risk children and preventing oral disease in the future. Health minister Jill Hennessy said the program would encourage healthier mouths and good oral health. “Providing fluoride varnish to our Macedon kids will improve their oral health in the long term by preventing tooth decay early,” she said. The $100,000 state government program will deliver fluoride varnish applications and oral health promotion with tooth packs to preschool children at their local early childhood services. ELLIOTT, 4
Serena Seyfort