Casey TMU Acting Sergeant Allen Inderwisch is joining police as they begin saturate local streets with a new operation.
By Kelly Yates
POLICE are preparing to saturate local streets in a bid to stop the carnage on Casey roads with a new operation described by authorities as a nightmare for speeding and hooning drivers.
With the City of Casey continuing to drive up the state’s road toll, Operation Ardent will focus on reducing road trauma and fatalities with a target on fatigued, alcohol and drug impaired motorists.
Casey roads will be the first in the state to see Operation Ardent in action after its launch later this month.
This year, 48 people have died on Region 5 roads, a police boundary that includes areas such as Narre Warren, Cranbourne, Hampton Park, Dandenong, Pakenham and Frankston.
Police are working on a number of speed reduction strategies, with authorities throwing everything at the Region 5 road toll.
More than 20 police cars will be involved in the highly visible operation which will include booze buses, specialist highway unit cars and motorbikes.
Police will be hitting to the streets at all times of the day, according to Casey Traffic Management Unit (TMU) Acting Sergeant Allen Inderwisch.
“Those doing the wrong thing should expect to pay the penalty,” he said.
Deputy Commissioner Ken Lay attended the crash scene on the corner of Ormond and Hallam roads in Lynbrook on 28 June where four teenagers lost their lives in a two-car collision.
He said from the moment he saw the carnage, he had no doubt excessive speed was a factor.
“Four young lives were lost and countless more will be affected for many years to come,” he said.
“It will take a long time for the Casey community to recover from that tragic collision.”
There have been eight fatalities on Casey roads this year in four separate collisions, two in Berwick and two in Lynbrook.
In 2008 and 2007, the area recorded the highest number of fatalities in Victoria, with 91 and 124 respectively.
Last year, there were 11 fatalities in ten collisions on local roads.
The message from police is simple – take care on the roads.
