Coburg residents are reeling, and yet another family is grieving after a horror few months on Coburg roads. Three vulnerable road users – a motorcyclist, a skateboard rider, and a cyclist walking his bike – have been killed since May. Two deaths occurred on Moreland Road and one on Bell Street. The latest was a hit and run.

With so many community groups calling for safer roads, Merri-bek Council is organising a road safety forum next month. This is an opportunity for community members to discuss their experiences and ideas. Participants should register at this link. A light lunch will be provided.

When: Saturday 13 September 9:30am – 12:30pm
Where: Coburg Civic Centre – Kulin-bulok (Concert Hall West), 90 Bell Street Coburg

Making our roads safer is key to getting more people using sustainable forms of transport. So many people avoid cycling, and many parents drive their kids to and from school because of road safety fears. The use of sustainable transport is going backwards, and unless governments make our roads much safer, this trend is likely to continue.

Motor vehicles are getting bigger and heavier – the majority of new car sales are now SUVs. And driver behaviour has worsened since the pandemic. Over the past few years, about 60% of people killed on the road in Greater Melbourne have been outside a vehicle – i.e. vulnerable roads users (pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and scooterists). In Merri-bek, over 80% of road deaths are vulnerable road users. Across the country, pedestrian deaths are soaring – in Victoria, they are the highest for 17 years. Yet the government’s target is to halve the road toll by 2030 (i.e. in 5 years time). Serious action is required to make our roads much safer.

Most road deaths in Merri-bek are on state government roads, and most deaths have occurred in the middle suburbs, in the electoral district of Pascoe Vale. It’s not surprising that so many local community groups advocating for road safety are in Coburg and Coburg North. These groups include:

• Safer Walking and Riding for Murray Rd,
• Safe Access over Bell St Bridge for Everyone,
• Liveable Sydney Road – Coburg & Coburg North (They currently have a petition.)
• Pedestrian Safety for Nicholson Street Coburg,
• Campaign for a safe pedestrian crossing on Moreland Road near the IGA.
• Safe Moreland Rd Now! (They currently have a petition.)

Merri-bek also has municipal-wide groups actively lobbying for safe walking and cycling, including Walk on Merri-bek and Merri-bek Bicycle Users Group. Climate Action Merri-bek also advocates for safe walking and cycling, including participating in the parliamentary inquiry on road safety behaviours, writing numerous submissions (e.g. on safe cycling), and surveying residents and analysing what walking and cycling infrastructure is needed in the northern suburbs of Merri-bek.

Merri-bek’s community road safety campaigns have had some success, including

• Reduced speed limit, a pedestrian crossing and other safety measures on Nicholson St, Coburg
• School speed zones on Bell Street
• Reduced speed limit on Melville Rd, Dawson St and Grantham St (not formally announced)
• A 30 km/h speed limit for Lygon Street Brunswick East (yet to be approved)
• A pedestrian crossing on Moreland Road, West Brunswick near Everett Street
• A pedestrian crossing across Pentridge Boulevard near Urquhart Street
• School speed zones on Murray Road.

The majority of casualty crashes involving vulnerable road users occur on roads controlled by the state government. Most of these have a speed limit of 60km/h, a deadly speed for vulnerable road users . Lygon Street is the exception – though a short Council controlled road with a speed limit of 40 km/h, it is particularly hazardous for vulnerable road users.

What needs to be done to make Merri-bek’s streets safer for walking and cycling? Slower speed limits, more crossings, safer intersections, protected bike lanes, proper enforcement etc. would be a start. Note that Victoria has just updated its speed zoning policy to include 30 km/h in our activity centres and near schools. Merri-bek is planning two 30 km/h speed zone areas. It should also be easier to get a speed limit reduction on our arterial roads from 60 km/h to 50 km/h.

Residents have lots of ideas, but we need our road authorities to implement them. Council can implement safety measures on Council roads – though typically they nees permission from the Department of Transport and Planning. But residents should not assume their issue is on Council’s radar. Council does respond to community campaigns, so getting organised and lobbying your ward Councillor is essential. Contact details here.

Just as important is to lobby our state representatives. The lower house MPs are

• Tim Read MP for Brunswick, (tim.read@parliament.vic.gov.au),
• Anthony Cianflone MP Pascoe Vale (anthony.cianflone@parliament.vic.gov.au),
• Kathleen Matthews-Ward MP for Broadmeadows (kathleen.matthews-ward@parliament.vic.gov.au)

There is a state election coming up in just 15 months, so this is a great time to start lobbying.

And please consider attending Merri-bek’s road safety forum on September 13. This could be a great opportunity not only to discuss your concerns, but also to meet with other concerned residents and perhaps start a new campaign.