Jack Hudson

PLAYFORD Deputy Mayor Peter Rentoulis is pushing for change at the intersection of King and Penfield Roads in Virginia due to safety concerns.

Cr Rentoulis said residents have seen plenty of accidents at the intersection across the past 25 years, causing multiple fatalities, but claims nothing has been done.

“This is a problem intersection and has been for the last 20-25 years, over that time there’d been at least a dozen to 15 accidents, some of them culminating in fatalities,” he said.

“This is something residents are really concerned about and there hasn’t been a long-lasting solution proposed.”

Cr Rentoulis has contacted the Department of Infrastructure and Transport about stop signs and a tear drop-style intersection with little luck.

“Approaching from the north and south, there’s a warning of the intersection coming up,” he said.

“That hasn’t made a difference, we’re not talking about once or twice.

“I’ve been following it up for the last six years at council.

“It now seems we’ve struck a bit of luck with what’s going on with COVID and the Federal Government giving a bit more money to councils and we’re now applying for funding.

“It looks as if the solution council and DIT have come to for a roundabout.

“I had pitched stop signs and a tear drop style intersection.”

Long-term resident Daryl Nicol recalled he has seen some “nasty” accidents and been on scene a number of times.

“I’ve been here about 24 years, I reckon about five or six fatalities I’ve seen, I tried to save a couple, managed to save one,” he said.

“The tear drop intersection would work well.”

The Bunyip contacted the Department of Infrastructure and Transport for comment but it failed to meet print deadline.