My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and the action I seek is for the minister to visit my electorate to view the works that are currently being undertaken at the Highbury Road crossing at the pipe trail.
In 2019 a young student named Vincent from Glendal Primary School wrote to the then member for Mount Waverley to say that he felt unsafe crossing at Highbury Road on his way to school. The then member for Mount Waverley took Vincent’s letter seriously and began advocating to get a new crossing at the pipe trail. The Andrews Labor government committed $870,000 in the 2021–22 state budget to provide a signalised crossing at the intersection of Highbury Road, Sevenoaks Road and Newhaven Road. I am proud to see that those works have begun on the new crossing and are expected to be completed by late March, which is fantastic news for our local community. The new signalised crossing will provide a safe place for cyclists and pedestrians, including the students at Glendal Primary School, ensuring that our community can travel around the area safely.
Further, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Glendal Primary School for their amazing NAPLAN results, which put their students in the top 20 schools within Victoria, with 83 per cent of their students well above average ranking. I would like to acknowledge the principal Deborah Grossek and her assistant principals Paul Whitehead and Kym Robinson for their leadership. I was fortunate to be down at Glendal just last week to hand out the prep bags and leadership badges. I would like to congratulate the new school captains Dimi and Mishti, who I am sure will do an excellent job this year. When you are down at the school you know it is a great school because of the supportive community around it, so congratulations to everyone there.
I would like to thank the member for Ashwood for his advocacy on getting the pedestrian crossing. I would like to give a special shout-out to Vincent for bringing this issue to our attention. I look forward to the minister’s response.
Minister’s Response:
I thank the Member for Glen Waverley for his invitation to visit the site for the new pedestrian operated signals on Highbury Road between Sevenoaks Road and Newhaven Road, at Syndal – Heatherdale Pipe Reserve Trail.
On Wednesday 1 March 2023 I enjoyed the opportunity to meet with you, the Glendal School community and Vincent, the student who had been advocating for the installation of a pedestrian/cyclist crossing facility on Highbury Road between Sevenoaks and Newhaven Roads.
The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) has been tasked to deliver this much desired community project, where construction commenced on 13 February 2023. Along with the new pedestrian operated signals, DTP will also improve lighting and drainage to keep pedestrians and bike riders safe when using the crossing.
Civil works on the crossing are expected to be complete by early April, with the lights active soon after following necessary approvals from the power authority.
Hon Melissa Horne MP
Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation
Minister for Local Government
Minister for Roads and Road Safety
Minister for Ports and Freight
