Protesters fighting to keep trucks away from schools during busy crossing times will shut down a Yarraville road next Tuesday.
The Maribyrnong Truck Action Group says the Somerville Road blockade follows months of inaction by VicRoads on imposing curfews that could improve the safety of the hundreds of children in the vicinity of the local road.
Group president Samantha McArthur said Somerville Road was a single-lane road in a residential neighbourhood ill-suited to carrying 3000 trucks just metres from classrooms every day.
“Parents are concerned about health and safety and many will not let their children walk or ride to school because they’re worried about truck traffic,” she said.
MTAG and Maribyrnong council are calling on VicRoads and the state government to introduce a crossing-time truck curfew, but VicRoads is so far resisting the move.
The road blockade will take place from 8-8.30am on Tuesday outside Kingsville Primary School.
Meanwhile, lobby group Transport for Melbourne will hold a public forum at Footscray Town Hall from 6-8pm this Thursday night. Organiser Roger Taylor said the forum was a chance to discuss Melbourne’s transport crisis.
“We are failing to learn the lessons from cities that are already finding better solutions to transport problems,” he said.
‘Melbourne’s Transport Crisis’, will feature planning experts, MTAG representatives and council infrastructure director Ian Butterworth.
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