New roundabout.jpg// Previous Moira Shire Council Administrator Suzanna Sheed AM, Project Manager Paul Diffey and Moira Shire Council Chief Administrator Dr Graeme Emonson PSM pictured at the ‘high risk’ five-way intersection in south Yarrawonga in July last year.

Moira Shire has experienced more road deaths and serious injuries than the Victorian average with council taking decisive action to improve road safety.

The action coincides with the release of new State Government data which revealed many local roads in the Ovens Valley were rated just one or two stars out of five for safety.

About half the Yarrawonga-Benalla Road was rated just one star and large sections of the Murray Valley Highway between Yarrawonga and Rutherglen rated two-stars.

Ovens Valley MP, Tim McCurdy said the independent AusRAP system showed the lower the star rating, the higher the risk of serious injury or fatalities.

“Worryingly, several key routes in the region are among the lowest rated,” Mr McCurdy said.

These findings are confronting, and the government can’t keep ignoring them.

“Every delay means more lives are being put at risk.”

Moira Shire has a road trauma rate three times the state average, prompting the council to develop a plan that focuses on safer roads, speeds, vehicles, people and emergency responses after crashes.

With a road network of 4200km of sealed and unsealed roads, Infrastructure Risk Rating suggests that almost 70 per cent of the managed rural road network is classified as high risk.

Recent data reveals that three out of seven fatalities on Moira roads occur at intersections with a speed zone of 70-100km/h.

Road Safe North East executive officer, John Weinert said reducing the road toll was a multi-prong attack.

“You can’t just do one thing,” Mr Weinert said.

“The police’s role is about enforcement so for us to reduce the toll from an enforcement point of view we need police out there visually, driving out on the roads and being obvious.

“The second area is the terrible condition of our roads.

“Although the statistics can’t actually identify that potholes have caused crashes, I personally believe they indirectly cause accidents.

“After a period of time your stress levels and anxiety are up, which in turn makes you angry and that can then become another fatality on the roads … it may well have been that you were dodging around for the last half an hour.

“Thirdly is what we do as educators, making drivers aware of dangerous behaviour and situations; their own personal responsibilities and behaviours.

“If we don’t have enough grants or funding to get out there to promote that, that itself becomes an issue.”

Mr Weinert said the use of seatbelts was dropping from well over 90 per cent to the low 80s and getting worse.

He said priorities need to change before the road toll comes down significantly.

In Yarrawonga, a ‘five ways’ roundabout, which is part of a $2 million intersection upgrade, was designed to enhance safety and improve traffic flow at the intersection of Gilmore Street, South Road, Cahills Road, Woods Road, and Old Wilby Road.

The site presented an increasing risk due to increased traffic from development in the area.

Consultation with the Moira community showed that two thirds of respondents wanted to address the safety at intersections as a priority and a similar number wanted road infrastructure addressed.

A further 43.8 per cent indicated speed was an issue. .

The council is now calling on the community to help shape a safer future on local roads.

A draft Moira Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan 2025 – 2030 is now open for public feedback.

The strategy sets out a commitment to reduce road trauma and improve safety for drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Chair administrator Graeme Emonson said the goal was simple, but powerful - zero harm on our roads.

“It is ambitious, but necessary,” Dr Emonson said.

“We know road safety affects everyone, that’s why we’re asking for your input to help make sure the strategy reflects local needs and priorities.”

The Moira Shire Road Safety Strategy 2025-2030 aligns with national and state safety goals, aiming for a 50 per cent reduction in fatalities and a 30 per cent reduction in serious injuries by 2030 with a vision for zero road deaths by 2050.

Consultation is open until Friday, October 17. The draft strategy is available to read online with a short survey to complete.

Visit https://www.moiramatters.com.au/road-safety-strategy.

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Friday, 10th September 2027

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