Crashes press state

PRESSURE is on for the Brumby Government to duplicate Hallam Road, Hampton Park, South Eastern Metropolitan MP Inga Peulich said.
Ms Peulich told State Parliament the Minister for Roads and Ports Tim Pallas should make sure a community campaign to duplicate Hallam Road is noticed.
Almost 3000 people signed a petition calling for road improvements after five young people were killed in two separate smashes at the intersection of Hallam Road and Ormond Road in June and July.
“Many of those signatures were collected on the Walk for Hallam Road rally that I attended,” she said.
“They were two accidents that broke the heart of the community and stirred anger about the neglect by the State Government of this road, which has been on the books for duplication for some time.”
In 2002, the City of Casey approached the government with concerns about the safety of Hallam Road and called on the State Government to duplicate the road.
Ms Peulich said in excess of 28,000 vehicles were estimated to travel on Hallam Road every day.
“(This) far outweighs the current VicRoads level for a road to be considered for duplication,” she said.
“Hallam Road is no longer a country thoroughfare, as it was many decades ago before changes to the Hampton Park Shopping Centre complex, to which Hallam Road is a vital link.
“The minister must now listen to the concerns of the Hampton Park and Narre Warren South communities.”
Since the fatal accidents in June and July, Vic Roads have installed interim traffic lights at the intersection of Hallam and Ormond Road.