By LIA SPENCER
MORE than 400 petitions were presented to parliament this week calling for a red light camera to be installed at a busy local intersection.
Narre Warren North residents signed petitions calling on the State Government to provide funding for a red light camera at Ernst Wanke Rd and Narre Warren North Rd to make it safer for road users, students and parents accessing Mary MacKillop Primary School.
Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan said the response from the community was strong, especially for students who attended Mary MacKillop Primary School, which was on the corner of Ernst Wanke Rd and Narre Warren North Rd.
“The response to this petition is second only to the petition calling for a roundabout at Ernst Wanke and Harkaway Roads, where the community’s voice resulted in a roundabout being installed this year,” Mr Donnellan said.
“It’s clear the community want this intersection made safer. Residents are sick of motorists who break the road rules and put their lives in danger. The community has spoken loudly, with 407 petitions signed from local residents.”
Mr Donnellan said local school kids deserved to feel safe getting to and from school.
“A red light camera will deter motorists who run reds putting kids’ lives in danger,” Mr Donnellan said.
“Running a red light is against the law and dangerous to all road users. Local residents shouldn’t have to deal with the risk of dangerous drivers,”
Last month, a Liberal State Government spokesperson said they welcomed Mr Donnellan’s interest but said the issue was a “Labor-created problem.”
“Luke Donnellan’s Labor Party had a decade to make roads safer, but the previous Labor Government failed to invest in roads infrastructure and failed to plan for traffic demands that come with growth,” the spokesperson said.
“We welcome his sudden interest in this intersection, given Labor wasted the 10 years they
had to do something about it, and is now calling on us to fix another Labor-created problem.”
