Lights out, traders told

BERWICK Village Chamber of Commerce has been told the intersection of Clyde Road and Enterprise Avenue doesn’t qualify for traffic signals.
Gembrook electorate officer Pauline Hopkins told the July chamber meeting that the intersection didn’t stack up based on the VicRoads costratio benefit (CBR) theory.
Ms Hopkins addressed the chamber because Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato was unable to attend.
Ms Hopkins said, however, that Ms Lobato was disappointed over the processes around efforts to get signals for the intersection.
She said the plan to have stakeholders contribute to the work was to be followed up by the chamber.
“By obtaining contributions from stakeholders the formula would change so that the CBR could apply,” she said.
“With the money we could say to the minister that an amount would be contributed toward the lights.
“However, we have been advised that the intersection needs a multimillion dollar grade separation.
“We also have a situation where no stakeholders have responded to the request for contributions.
“It is difficult to justify government expenditure of $1.5 million on temporary lights when later $10 million has to be spent on a major project.
“Tammy said one stakeholder said he did not receive a request from the chamber.
“Tammy was also disappointed in a Gazette article that said stakeholders were not interested.
“She was disappointed because people will now say that providing the traffic signals is a State Government responsibility.
“We have gone back to square one.
“Tammy, has, however, written to the minister and has asked for funding, but it will be harder to achieve.
“The problem is that we will later need $10 million to build a grade separation intersection.
“I need to make it clear that the idea of getting stakeholder contributions was not to say this was not a State Government responsibility.”
Chamber president Michael Hall said Ms Lobato had always supported the chamber activities and that it was good to know she intended to maintain this.
He said the City of Casey had an obligation to its own roads, but the Clyde Road intersection was a VicRoads responsibility.
“If the council made an exception and paid for the Clyde Road job then it would set a precedent and be inundated with other applications,” he said.
“Generally it is agreed that we have a set of circumstances that is not the fault of the traders, the council, or Ms Lobato.”
Ms Hopkins said regulations had been changed so that developers now had to fund infrastructure.
“The problem with Clyde Road is that we are playing catchup and we now have to wait for a response from the Minister for Transport.”
Mr Hall expressed special thanks to Ms Hopkins for attending the chamber meeting.