By Alesha Capone
Little River residents say they are “extremely concerned” about the increasing number of trucks being driven through the area.
Truck traffic has been a concern for years, but some residents say the problem seems to have worsened since preparation work for the youth justice centre in Cherry Creek – which is located about 1.5 kilometres north-east of Little River Road where it joins the Princes Freeway – began last month.
Several residents said they had been forced off the road or involved in “near misses” with trucks straddling two lanes, as the local roads were too narrow for the wide vehicles. Some residents said trucks were being parked on nature-strips, damaging pipes or waking them up at night.
Resident Emma Sutcliffe said: “As the mum of two young drivers, a local resident and someone who turns out in a hurry for CFA duties, I’m extremely concerned by the frequency and speed of these trucks on our sub-standard and often single-lane roads.”
Long-time community advocate Les Sanderson said: “The current wave of trucks don’t appear to adhere to speed limits, especially the 30-kilometre area in River Street or the 60 kilometres across Grants Bridge.”
Wyndham economy, innovation and liveability director Peter McKinnon said the council had been “working closely with Little River residents, City of Geelong, Victoria Police and VicRoads to identify ways in which we can divert trucks away from Little River”.
He said council officers had conducted an analysis of traffic movements through Little River to determine commonly used truck routes, collected photographic evidence of illegal truck driving and asked traffic police to increase their presence in the area.
A Department of Justice and Community Safety spokesperson said the department was “committed to reducing the impacts of traffic on the local community as much as possible” while the youth justice centre was being built.
“The project’s managing contractor has instructed its drivers to use routes that are the least disruptive for residents, including avoiding residential areas where possible,” she said.
To help manage and reduce traffic, speed restriction signs will soon be installed on Little River Road.
