Community
6 March, 2025
Should High Street drop to 40km/h?
A COMMUNITY-LED campaign to reduce the speed limit along a section of High Street to 40km/h has gained momentum, with a new petition launched to make a push for change.
The concept would see the speed limit drop from the current 50km/h speed limit through a roughly 550-metre section from Macqueen’s Funerals through to the Terang BP.
The reduction would add only a few seconds to each trip through town, but supporters feel the change would make a far greater impact on safety for the community’s more vulnerable members.
This week members from the Rotary Club of Terang, Cooinda, Terang and District Probus Club, Terang Returned and Services League (RSL) sub-branch, Terang Progress Association, Victoria Police and Corangamite Shire Council gathered on High Street to unite behind the cause.
Among those backing the change is Terang and District Rotary Club member Wayne Reicha.
His family business operates from High Street and he said seeing issues with traffic is quite common, particularly as the flowthrough of trucks increases.
“People have pushed for a reduction previously, but it’s been done individually – it’s not a new idea but we’ve combined behind a united push,” he said.
“All the clubs are approaching the issue as one.
“We’ve got some blind spots, cars pulling out on the tree line-side of the road, and impediments to vision from the sun or even other vehicles.
“The blast of the horn from heavy trucks is happening every other day.”
Mr Reicha is also an employee of disability service provider Cooinda, and fears the freedom some clients enjoy to heighten their independence also puts them at risk.
“Their judgement might not be as good, so slowing the traffic down helps them to cross the road safety,” he said.
“A lot of the clients live independently and don’t require us to be with them, but it can be a bit worrisome.
“It’s more about prevention than waiting for something to happen.”
Terang RSL member Terry Fidge said he felt a reduction in speed through the CBD was “overdue”.
“There’s been far too many near misses, particularly with heavy transport moving through the town,” he said.
“Somebody is going to get cleaned up one day, and it’s too late to wonder what we could have done afterwards.
“It’s time to act, and time to get it done.”
Corangamite Shire councillor Geraldine Conheady said she was supportive of the proposal, and felt feedback showed the current limit wasn’t satisfactory.
“People are feeling unsafe at the 50km/h limit that we have at the minute,” she said.
“There’s a lot of heavy traffic, the trucks going through are large, and they are sticking to the speed limit because police have done testing, but they’re big vehicles and people feel unsafe.
“We’ve got vehicles and pedestrians entering the carriageway from both sides, so it doesn’t feel very safe at 50km/h.
“The 40km/h is felt to be a much safer limit for the business section to be managed.
“It’s a state responsibility – the Department of Transport and Planning would have to make an assessment – but we’ve got a lot of members of the community who have indicated they don’t feel safe and often see near misses.”
Terang Progress Association president Ken McSween said he had only recently seen a near miss which highlighted the need for adjustment.
“Because the way the street is designed with the elm trees, the trucks seem to be going faster than you think they are,” he said.
“It feels necessary to drop the speed and increase education.
“I saw a car pull out in front of a truck out the front of the Co-Op the other day and it nearly got wiped out.
“The bloke in the log truck rammed the breaks on, and he’s lucky he was aware.”
Terang and District Lions Club secretary John Keane said he supported the speed reduction as he held concerns for the town’s aging population who aren’t as fleet of foot.
“We want to slow drivers down – it’s disrespectful for the ones who are coming through the town too fast,” he said.
“Safety is paramount, and old people like me, and very young people, are in danger when they cross the street because there are no pedestrian crossings.
“When cars come out, or a big trailer is coming through, if someone starts to walk out, there is nothing to slow the vehicle down.
“The area is not very big, and it only takes a few extra seconds to get through town, so I think it’s a reasonable suggestion.
“We like to think people respect each other enough to say ‘You know what, let’s be careful’.”
Victoria Police Acting Sargeant Bevan Marr of the Terang police station said he felt a speed reduction would be a “huge improvement” in safety.
“It’s important to reduce the speed through Terang due to the amount of foot traffic, especially in front of the IGA,” he said.
“Cars and heavy vehicles travelling through at 50km/h or more, it’s only good if it can be reduced back to 40km/h.
“We’ve also got double parking on the road which makes it even more dangerous – if someone is parking on the opposite side to the shops – they have to get out and cross.
“When you’ve got B-doubles rolling through town, even doing the speed limit, it looks like they’re going quicker.”
“If the speed limit is reduced it’ll make it safer for people getting out of their vehicles and pedestrians – particularly those with a disability or older people.”
Alongside the petition is a letter template which will be sent off to Members for Parliament, Victorian Government representatives such as Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne, The Department of Transport and Planning, VicRoads and Regional Roads Victoria.
In addition, plans are also being explored to reduce the speed limit to 40km/h on Dow Street due to the flow of foot traffic from Cooinda and growing residences for Cooinda clients, the addition of Hampden Specialist School and associated increases in traffic.
Anyone interested in signing the petition can grab a copy from local businesses including the Terang Post Office, Terang Co-op IGA and the Little Acorn Café.
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