mmg.com.au

Elmore residents vented their frustrations last week when their plan for a pedestrian crossing in town was put on the backburner.

Maree Charnstron, who has been collecting petitions to get a crossing in town, said VicRoads initially stated the crossing was fifth on a list of priorities, but now funding was uncertain.

City of Greater Bendigo councillor James Williams said he found the result ‘‘frustrating’’ and was going to continue to lobby State Government to get the crossing.

‘‘It won’t be funded in the near future,’’ he said.

Cr Williams said if the Victorian Government was serious about growing smaller towns, priority should go towards projects to make them safer.

Elmore pedestrian Mary Lee said she was almost hit by a motorbike when crossing the road to the post office recently.

‘‘I looked and there was not a thing coming then a motorbike was on top of me and swerved,’’ she said.

‘‘(At) Easter time you can’t get across, or when the Southern 80 or Deni Ute muster is on,’’ she said.

Elmore resident Max Showell said the sign which reads ‘Pedestrians must give way to vehicles’ does not have brail on it so blind people would not know the rules attached to crossing the road.

He said an accident in Elmore involving a pedestrian was ‘‘a certainty waiting to happen’’.

Ms Charnstron said she would continue to collect petitions but was sure an accident would happen before the crossing would be built.