Road safety improvements for Trentham

Road safety is an important issue across our Shire. Listening to our local community and working with Department of Transport & Planning (DTP), Council is continuing to progress a range of road safety and transport improvements across Trentham, with advocacy and planning works underway, and funding secured for upgrades to local roads. 

Following strong advocacy by Council and the community, Department of Transport & Planning (DTP) has indicated in principle support for a speed limit reduction.  Council will now be seeking approval for reduced speed limits across Trentham.  These include an extension of the existing 40 km/h zone through the centre of town, an extension of the existing 50 km/h zone to better reflect recent development, and further discussion about speed limits near the Trentham Transfer Station have been flagged. We thank DTP for working collaboratively with Council on these proposals.  

There has been some strong advocacy by community for pedestrian crossings to be installed on High Street. As High Street (between Bridge Street and Cosmos Road) is managed by DTP, any decision around funding of crossings in this section rests with them. 

In summary, the proposed speed limit changes are an important first step and will form part of the longer-term discussion regarding a pedestrian crossings. Consultation would involve significant consultation with the Trentham businesses and community, to give consideration to suitable locations, the impacts of potential parking loss in the town centre, and constraints created by existing driveways. 

Council is committed to advocating for these improvements and will continue to work with directly with DTP. Interested parties who would like to also advocate can also do so directly to their local state member of parliament, The Hon Mary-Anne Thomas. 

We will share further information as it is available. 

In addition, Council has also secured funding under the Victorian Government’s Safer Local Roads and Streets Program (SLRSP) for pedestrian connections and crossings at Bath Street and Albert Street, along with five other road safety projects across the Hepburn Shire. The program, a joint initiative between DTP and the Traffic Accident Commission (TAC), provides funding to support infrastructure upgrades that reduce road trauma and improve safety outcomes for all road users; however, funding can only be used on Council-managed roads.  As such, initially proposed works on High Street were ineligible for funding  

Separately, Council will consider partial or full closure of Bath Street in the near future, once master planning work on Trent Creek is completed. Any works undertaken on Bath Street have been designed to complement any further Council decision regarding this proposed closure. 

These projects are being delivered by Council in partnership with DTP and the TAC and are expected to commence later this year, subject to tender outcomes. 

Updates will be provided through our Home | articipate Hepburn page as projects progress over the coming months.