Crash corner

By Kelly Yates
A NARRE Warren man is “fed up” with the number of car crashes in his street.
Alan Thwaites has had three out-of-control cars fly through his brick fence on Raven Crescent within the past 12 months.
Mr Thwaites is urging Casey Council to install speed humps along the road to stop speeding drivers from causing havoc, saying he believed the cause of high crash rate was the bend near Fountain Drive.
“Drivers are taking the bend too fast, especially when it’s wet, and losing control,” he said.
“It’s dangerous when they attempt to negotiate it at excessive speeds.”
Mr Thwaites wants the “bus friendly” traffic calming devices on the street to force drivers to lower their speed as they approach the bend.
“And only then will the accidents stop,” he said.
Mr Thwaites says he often hears cars losing control.
“We hold our breath when we hear it. Many of our nature strip trees bear the scars of being struck by cars,” he said.
“We want to feel safe and protected in our homes.”
Two weeks ago a car struck the crash barrier at the end of Raven Crescent and ended up in a resident’s front garden, Mr Thwaites said.
“The barrier has not as yet been replaced leaving the corner house vulnerable,” he said.
“The barrier was installed many years ago following a series of accidents in which cars lost control and crashed through their brick fence.”
Mr Thwaites has been living along Raven Crescent since 1976.
Springfield Ward councillor Sam Aziz raised the issue as a matter of urgent business at last week’s council meeting.
Council officers are investigating the traffic issues along Raven Crescent and are set to provide a report outlining suitable short and long term solutions to address the high rate of crashes.
Casey Traffic Management Unit (TMU) Sergeant Pat McGavigan said police had received no reports of crashes on Raven Crescent this year nor last year.