Drivers struggle to see over the roses growing on this Emerald roundabout.
By Casey Neill
EMERALD’S overgrown roundabouts are blocking drivers’ views and placing lives at risk, one concerned resident says.
Emerald resident Greg Jones said the Mail that roses on the Belgrave-Gembrook Road and Emerald-Monbulk Road, Belgrave-Gembrook Road and Beaconsfield Road, and Belgrave-Gembrook Road and Kilvington Drive were interfering with road safety.
“I have been engaged with the Cardinia Council for over 18 months now, trying to get them to either trim to a low height, or remove vegetation preventing drivers seeing indicators of approaching vehicles,” he said.
“On a few occasions they have trimmed the flowers, but due to growth, visibility is blocked after about three weeks again.”
Mr Jones said he regularly wrote to the shire and asked that they trim them on schedule.
“Which would ensure the vegetation never impedes visibility, but they do not seem able to do this,” he said.
“Vehicles proceeding straight through the roundabout cannot see indicators of vehicles making a right turn from the oncoming direction, and near misses occur.
“I have witnessed one cyclist knocked off his bike because he could not see the indicator of an oncoming vehicle.”
Mr Jones said the council’s own works department issued orders to trim the vegetation to no more than 10 centimetres in height to remove traffic risk.
But council spokesman Paul Dunlop said the garden beds in the roundabouts at Emerald were “a popular and attractive feature and are maintained regularly according to appropriate horticultural practices.”
“The roses within the beds were cut back earlier this year to allow for sight line clearance,” he said.
“It is important to note that this pruning was not an extensive pruning back as many were still in flower and it was the wrong time of year to be pruning the roses.”
Mr Dunlop said the council was due to prune the roses again in mid to late June under its ongoing management program.
“However the council has brought forward their pruning to the first week of June to ensure they are kept within height requirements,” he said.
“Council receives many positive comments about the garden beds and has no intention to remove the roses.”
He urged anyone with concerns to contact the council on 1300 787 624.
