APOLLO BAY ROUNDABOUT OFF THE AGENDA
Member for Western Victoria Region, Bev McArthur convened a public meeting in Apollo Bay recently for the purposes of reporting on progress in the Regional Roads Victoria deliberations on the Roundabout at the intersection of the Great Ocean Road and Nelson Street which would have involved relocating the iconic war memorial from its historic location at ‘the end of the Great Ocean Road’.
Having raised the issue with the Minister in Parliament highlighting the complete lack of any viable and honest public and stakeholder consultation and following a meeting with Chief Regional Roads Officer, Paul Northey; Mrs McArthur, along with Deputy Mayor of the Colac Otway Shire, Cr Joe McCracken was able to announce that the $3.5m plus project was on ‘pause’. And instead of losing the memorial, originally funded by the community from its prominent site along with valuable parking spaces and other local building access issues, the government agency will now pursue minor traffic safety activities like sign posting and arrows.
It was noted at the meeting that there were other extremely dangerous road issues in the Great Ocean Road footprint that needed urgent attention but the roundabout, where no accident incident had been reported, was not one of them.
Mrs McArthur said the dedicated Apollo Bay residents who attended the meeting agreed that a much more holistic and broader traffic control plan was needed in Apollo Bay which would be in the interests of both permanent residents and tourists, alike.
Numerous interested parties are applying their expertise and knowledge to such a proposal which Mrs McArthur said, would involve all interested parties, Council and the government roadworks agency.
She said she looked forward to working with the Apollo Bay locals, key stakeholders, Member for Polwarth, Richard Riordan MP, the local Council and the government road building authority to achieve the best possible outcome for all parties.
Mrs McArthur told the meeting that she was pleased that common sense had prevailed and she thanked Paul Northey from Regional Roads Victoria and the numerous people who had so passionately articulated their case.
24 September 2019