MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has adopted its Road Management Plan 2025, a key strategy guiding inspection, maintenance, and repair of more than 1700km of roads.
Councillors unanimously approved the final plan at their 14 October meeting, which is in line with the Road Management Act that requires councils to review their Road Management Plan (RMP) by 30 June following a general election.
The plan, which includes footpaths and related infrastructure across the peninsula, ensures council can “continue delivering reliable and efficient road services, while working within available resources and maintaining transparency with the community”.
It also defines the minimum service standards for road inspections and maintenance interventions, providing council with protection against litigation risks where council has set reasonable minimum service standards in its RMP and met those standards.
The shire reviewed all feedback from a recent community consultation, identifying three main themes from responses. This included proactive road maintenance which called for crews to prevent issues rather than simply react to them.
Concerns were raised about road contractors failing to consistently meet performance standards, with suggestions that contract compliance should be more rigorously enforced. Key maintenance priorities highlighted by the community include pothole repairs, line marking, drainage improvements, and vegetation management along road verges.
Road safety concerns were also most frequently cited particularly near schools, childcare centres, and pedestrian areas. Respondents urged improvements to crossings and reduced speed limits in high-risk zones to better protect vulnerable road users such as children, pedestrians, and cyclists. Other feedback noted footpath and cycling facility upgrades with community members emphasising the need to support active transport. Requests included expanding and maintaining footpaths and bicycle networks, particularly along routes to schools, parks, and town centres.
All community feedback was reviewed and shared with the shire to ensure concerns were addressed following community consultation between 18 June and 30 July.
“While valuable, the feedback did not directly relate to the documented minimum service standards for road inspections and maintenance interventions and so no changes are proposed for the RMP,” a shire report said. To maintain transparency, the council has launched a dedicated ‘Shape’ Project Page, which will provide a summary of key themes, outline how feedback on the RMP is being handled, and explain next steps for the community.
Mayor Cr Anthony Marsh said, “This plan is essential to keeping our road network safe and functional. The updates make our standards clearer, more achievable and better aligned with how maintenance is delivered on the ground”.
First published in the Mornington News – 28 October 2025
