The Nationals have pledged to fund a light-up 40 km/h sign for the crossing in their first budget if elected at next month’s state election, upgrades One Nation candidate Garner Smith says are also a priority for him.
The school zone on Murray Valley hwy in the south-east of the town is currently only marked with a light funded by the community and a folding 60/40 km/h sign which residents say is simply not effective.
“It’s great this issue is getting cross-party interest,” said Letitia Edwards, the co-owner of The Gunbower Butter Factory who recently met with The Nationals’ Murray Plains candidate Brett Hosking to discuss the issue.
“We’ve got a very unique set of circumstances here in Gunbower because a lot of our kids take buses to other towns, so we have school kids milling about outside of normal school zone hours.
“We often get proposed solutions, but not people actually asking the community what we need, so it’s a refreshing change to actually have someone come out here and see the problem for themselves.”
Mr Hosking said the changes were long overdue, and emblematic of what he described as Labor’s neglect of regional communities.
“Because the Murray Valley Highway is the main road through the heart of Gunbower, installing the crossing light is a VicRoads job – and that means it is a government responsibility,” he said.
“And like so many, too many, challenges in regional Victoria, it has been deliberately ignored by Labor.
“I can guarantee you there won’t be any children expected to cross a major highway in Melbourne without the minimum protection of traffic lights.”
Ms Edwards said while the highway presented a unique challenge, it was just as much a blessing as it is a curse.
“Our town thrives because of it,” she said.
“It’s how people discover the wonderful venues we have on offer, but it’s also posing serious safety concerns.”
One Nation’s candidate for Murray Plains Garner Smith acknowledged this, saying while he was unwilling to commit finances, citing Victoria’s debt ‒ as a business owner and political candidate, the upgrades would be a priority.
“I would absolutely support the initiative on behalf of the community,” he said.
The Victorian election will be held on November 28.
25°C