Great Barrier Grief - safety barrier woes continue
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Great Barrier Grief - safety barrier woes continue

Motorists terrified about being hemmed in by the safety barriers on the Princes Highway east of Stratford and unable to change a tyre or attend to breakdown repairs at a safe distance from the passing high speed traffic, continue to vent their frustration.
Nationals Gippsland East MP, Tim Bull, has a photo file showing the hideously dangerous situations that drivers are finding themselves in because of breakdowns in the section of the road where there is a space (offset) of only 3 metres from the traffic lane. Last week he received another.
“The reason I have been given for the narrow offset is that it would have been too costly to make it any wider and because of the associated native vegetation offsets that would have to be provided as well,” said Mr Bull.
“So we have been left with a dangerous compromise that road builders and emergency services personnel warned right from the get go would not work and the mounting evidence is that they were right.
“Road users who travel this section of the Princes Highway frequently now describe it as a ‘death trap’.
“The VicRoads Road Design Note specifies that ‘every effort should be made to achieve a desirable offset of 4.0 to 6.0 metres as it allows space for broken down vehicles to pull over clear of traffic lanes and provides space for maintenance vehicles.’
“It is astounding to me that VicRoads can turn a blind eye to its own safety standard to reduce costs and in the process is putting everyone who uses this road at serious risk.
“I have written to the Roads Minister requesting that the roadside barriers be removed and only replaced when a minimum 4 metre offset can be provided.
“I don’t care what it costs, its time this was fixed.” said Mr Bull.
Caption: Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, has called time on the excuses being made for the dangerous road barriers on the Princes Highway, following last week’s addition to his photo file.