A FIVE-YEAR strategy to eliminate road deaths on the Mornington Peninsula involves having safer roads, safer vehicles, safer speeds and safer drivers.
The shire’s Road Safety Strategy 2020-25 – developed after community consultation and road safety experts – aims to reduce the “unacceptably high levels of road trauma” on peninsula roads.
A report to council’s Tuesday 23 June meeting noted that 69 people had been killed and more than 1500 seriously injured over the past decade.
The peninsula recorded the highest number of deaths in Victoria’s 79 local government areas in 2010 and in 2019.
The mayor Cr Sam Hearn said the community needed to “work together to minimise road trauma”.
“The devastating impacts of road trauma on our community are not just felt when someone is lost. Serious injuries are the hidden road toll, with ongoing pain, suffering and impairment upending the lives of those affected, as well as the lives of their families,” he said.
“One of our fundamental duties as a council is to look after the wellbeing of our community. Saving lives and preventing serious injury on our roads is central to that mission.”
In April 2016, the shire became the state’s first Towards Zero municipality and adopted the goal of having no deaths or serious injuries on roads within the municipality.
Community consultation on the draft strategy closes 5pm, Thursday 30 July.
To view the plan (including a summary) and to complete an online form visit: mornpen.vic.gov.au/haveyoursay.
Forms will be made available to complete in hard copy upon request.
Email submissions to: haveyoursay@mornpen.vic.gov.au with the subject line ‘Towards Zero’.
First published in the Mornington News – 30 June 2020
