Council at a crossroad

CLARKEFIELD residents feel their concerns are falling on deaf ears after two councils have failed to take responsibility for a dangerous section of a Clarkefield road.

There has been multiple accidents and complaints regarding the cut-in – or sharp, narrow bend – close to 157 Konagaderra Road in Clarkefield, leaving residents worried about their safety travelling to and from home.

Robyn McCredie said she had lived on her Clarkefield property since 1977 and had witnessed several accidents at the location, including her own.

“I was towing the float along this road and a brick truck came across my side of the road and I had nowhere to go but the wall,” Ms McCredie said.

Her daughter Michelle McCredie said her children had screamed in the backseat due to a near miss with her float.

“I only drive along here if I have to. I take it very easy, but we’ve had cars overtake us and the kids panic asking if the horses are ok,” she said.

Clarkefield residents Jessica Mason and Michelle McCredie are worried about the dangerous cut-in on Konagaderra Road in Clarkefield.

“The limit here is 25km/h but people drive 70km/h along here, even when they’re turning the corner.”

Clarkefield resident Jessica Mason said it was not just speed that was causing danger at the bend.

“There are potholes all along the sides of the road, with trees growing inwards,” she said.

“The road is between Macedon and Hume, but neither are taking responsibility for the road. I wish someone would widen it, put some kind of edging or at the very least add rumble trips (lines causing a tactile vibration and audible rumbling to slow drivers down).

“I’ve only lived here for six years, but I’ve seen a couple of motorbike accidents and one where someone went over the edge.

“Last week I took a photo of a car pile-up there – will it take someone losing their life for someone to do something?”

While at the site during the interview, two cars were witnessed speeding and moving across both lanes to turn the corner – one being a large semi-trailer travelling at about 60 km/h.

“Something needs to physically slow people down. This is a main road for people travelling to Romsey, Lancefield and Riddells Creek,” Ms Mason said.

“If they did the Bulla bypass it might be different. It’s bumper-to-bumper along here during peak hour – I’m dodging potholes to get around it.”

A Macedon Ranges Shire Council spokesperson said Konagaderra Road was a boundary road shared between themselves and Hume City Council.

The spokesperson said there was a maintenance agreement between the two councils which states that Hume City Council is responsible for the maintenance of the road.

A Hume City Council spokeswoman originally said the section of the road concerned was not in its reach, but would seek further advice. They failed to respond before deadline.