Kangaroo Flat residents say their safety concerns have been ignored after City of Greater Bendigo staff recommended councillors reject a plea to change the Crusoe Road speed limit.
Residents in September formally petitioned the city to reduce the road's speed limit to 50 kilometres an hour. The current speed limit is 60 kilometres an hour.
But the recommendation, which will be put to councillors at Wednesday's council meeting, said crash history and road traffic data determined the speed change would be unnecessary.
Liz Barrett has lived on Crusoe Road for the past 35 years and said she signed the petition because residents' safety was at risk.
"We're a residential area so we would like it down to 50 kilometres an hour so people are safe and cars have the time to stop," she said.
"Since they opened up the reservoir, a lot of young people are speeding through and doing wheelies. It's been a problem for years but it has gotten worse."
Ms Barrett said more people were also walking on the roads because there were no footpaths in the area.
"We have a lot of young kids going to the reservoir for a swim and then walking on the road to go back home because there are no footpaths," she said.
"The cars don't see them half the time because they're going too fast."
The city's road traffic data found the average speed of motorists on the road was 56 kilometres an hour.
But Crusoe Road resident Zelma Moore said more needed to be done to enforce the speed limit.
"If they drove at 60 kilometres an hour, that would be good," she said. "There are plenty of signs around the bend to alert them. But cars don't do it and there are a lot of trucks going at speed."
Ms Moore said a pedestrian crossing would also improve safety in the area.
"If we had a crossing, it would give drivers the time to stop," she said. "I walk with a walking stick and I was halfway across the road when a car of young people abused me because I was trying to cross.
"You have to be very vigilant when you cross because cars just don't slow down."
Ms Barrett said she was disappointed the city's staff had rejected the residents' petition.
"They don't live in the street to see what goes on," she said. "If they lived here, they would be one of the first ones calling in."
Tara Cosoleto
Journalist covering courts and general news at the Bendigo Advertiser.
Journalist covering courts and general news at the Bendigo Advertiser.
