“We don’t know what this sign means,” say motorists who use the High StreetClyde Road, Berwick, intersection. From left: Berwick Village Chamber of Commerce president Michael Hall, chamber membership chairman Neil Sutcliffe, Casey mayor NeBy Jim Mynard
CASEY mayor Neil Lucas has called for a rightturn arrow to be installed in the traffic signals at the High StreetClyde Road, Berwick, intersection.
Cr Lucas said the intersection was confusing and dangerous.
He told the Tuesday 2 August council meeting that some people did not move off through the intersection when the way was clear.
He said VicRoads had used many different signs advising drivers on how to make their turns.
“I cannot understand what the present sign ‘right turn give way’ means,” he said.
Cr Lucas said the present sign at the corner was the worst so far.
Oatlands Ward councillor Mick Morland said the sign was confusing to motorists.
“One time, we had a sign that said ‘turn when safe’, but VicRoads took it down for some reason.”
“We need to go back to that sign,” Cr Morland said.
However, a VicRoads spokesman said VicRoads last year improved the light sequence so that drivers wanting to turn right no longer faced a red light.
The notorious intersection has been causing problems for drivers for years and as the traffic increases the problems increase.
Drivers say they move into the intersection on a green light to make a right hand turn, but find they face a red light.
Many drivers do not realise that they should proceed through the red light and out of the intersection if there is no traffic coming on their left.
The problem is probably caused by the configuration of the intersection because of the wide median strip between the traffic lanes.
Berwick Village Chamber of Commerce president Michael Hall said it was about time someone took a stand on the problem.
“We are having minor accidents there every week and the changed sign has added to the confusion,” Mr Hall said.
“A green turn arrow is the only way to solve problems at that intersection.”
Berwick businessman Len Preece said people just did not know what to do in the intersection.
“The quicker we get a green turn arrow the better because it is the only solution.
“We have asked VicRoads for this several times, but it falls on deaf ears.”
Proprietor of Skinsational, at 38 High Street, Anne Beauchamp said she and her staff heard the noises from the intersection at their shop on a regular basis.
“A green arrow would make things so much easier,” she said.
“We have so many near misses and so much road rage at that intersection because people do not know how to proceed.
“We hear the near misses and the yelling.
“We are waiting for a really bad accident at that corner.”
VicRoads regional manager Steve Brown said VicRoads was aware of the unusual conditions at the intersection for vehicles turning right from High Street.
He said VicRoads had improved the light sequence of the traffic signals so that drivers wanting to turn right no longer faced a red light.
“In addition, improved and larger signs with a fluorescent border were installed on both the east and west approaches to highlight to drivers the need to give way to through traffic when completing their turn,” he said.
“While crash records do not indicate that there is a particular safety problem with the right turn movements at this intersection, VicRoads is continuing to monitor safety and operations at this site.”
