Traffic snarl

By Kelly Yates
TRAFFIC congestion along Narre Warren North Road is proving to be a problem for firefighters, who say at times they can’t even get out of the station to attend emergency calls.
Narre Warren North Fire Brigade Captain Shaun Trotter said his firefighters were struggling to meet the four-minute turn out time to get the fire truck out of the station.
“We can spend 20 minutes waiting to get across the road,” he said.
“It’s just unbelievable. The traffic is so bad.”
Casey councillor Shar Balmes raised the issue at the last council meeting.
She handed over a petition with 536 signatures from residents calling for Narre Warren North Road to be duplicated from Ernst Wanke Road to Heatherton Road.
“I could have easily reached 1000 signatures. The community wants this road to be duplicated,” she said.
Cr Balmes believes one of the main causes of the traffic congestion is the feeder roads coming off Narre Warren North Road.
“There are many streets which come off the road and during the busy school times, a five-minute car journey can take some parents 20 minutes. It’s just crazy,” she said.
Captain Trotter said a pedestrian crossing was also needed on Narre Warren North Road.
“People walking or riding their bikes have no safe place to cross the road. Many of our CFA volunteers, who live near the station, struggle to walk across the busy road to get the brigade,” he said.
Casey Council will advocate to VicRoads and other levels of government in a bid to get the road improved.
Captain Trotter said firefighters would welcome the duplication of Narre Warren North Road.
VicRoads did not get back to the News before it when to print.