FLASHPOINT: An SES crew works to free a driver trapped during a serious accident on the Burley Griffin Way earlier this month.
THE Bilbul community has demanded authorities slash the speed limit on a deadly stretch of road running through the village.
Despite nearly a decade of lobbying and a steady stream of accidents and near misses, residents have been unable to have the speed limit on the 1km portion of Burley Griffin Way within the town limits reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h.
The final straw came earlier this month after three people were injured – one critically – when a car pulling out of a quiet Bilbul residential street collided with a truck and pinballed into another vehicle.
Bilbul Store owner Peter Catlin said the Burley Griffin Way between Yoogali and Bilbul had become a “hoon’s paradise”, made even more dangerous by regular truck movements in and out of De Bortoli Wines.
“This has been going on for seven or eight years and we’ve had enough,” Mr Catlin said.
“Most of the truckies do the right thing but there’s cowboys out there sitting on 115km/h just metres away from homes.
“Over the past 15 years, De Bortoli would have tripled in size and so would have the truck movements.
“When you’re pulling out of a quiet street onto a 100km/h road, you really need to look three or four times to be sure and it’s easy to forget that.
“A lot of people become blase and, in an instant, all hell can break loose.
“Why can’t we be 80km/h like Binya, Tharbogang past the winery and other similar places?”
He said give way signs at The Crescent, Bilbul Road and Canal Street should also be replaced by stop signs for added safety.
Griffith council’s traffic committee chairman Cr Doug Curran said the bid to lower the speed limit had merit.
“Ultimately, it’s up to the Roads and Maritime Service but I certainly think it warrants looking at, especially in light of the recent accident,” Cr Curran said.
“The sweeping bend between Bilbul and Yenda can also be difficult to navigate.
“There are probably a lot of dangerous roads like this around but unless people that drive the roads regularly raise it, it’s hard to know.”
Long-time Bilbul resident John Bortolazzo supported the push for a speed limit reduction.
“I’ve seen a lot of accidents and near misses over the years,” he said.
“It’s such a straight stretch of road from Yoogali to the Yenda bend that I think a lot of people use it as a chance to open up their cars.”
An RMS spokeswoman said the proposal would be reviewed at the next meeting of the Griffith traffic committee.
“In the past five years, there were 13 crashes reported on Burley Griffin Way from two kilometres east of Bilbul to two kilometres west of Bilbul,” she said.
“RMS will include for discussion the speed limit in Bilbul on the agenda of the next Griffith traffic committee.
“After the committee meets, RMS would be happy to discuss the outcomes of the meeting with residents.”