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7 JULY, 2026
Petition traction By Jack O’shea-Ayres A petition calling on the state government to make immediate safety upgrades to Leakes Road and the Western Freeway interchange in Rockbank has received major traction across the community. The petition is currently before state parliament and has received backing from Western Metropolitan MP Moira Deeming, and has attracted more than 3500 signatures to date. It’s calling for the installation of traffic lights on freeway ramps, improved street lighting, road surface repairs, and the fast-tracking of the interchange as a stage one priority of the $1 billion Western Freeway upgrade.
Everyone has a tale to tell about Leakes Road. There are countless near misses ... an incredible number of people have witnessed serious collisions - Donna Southern Donna Southern continues to head the campaign for the complete revamp of Leakes Road, beginning her campaigning back in February last year after calling for lights to be installed at the interchange. During said time, Ms Southern said road safety at the interchange has become far worse than when campaigning fi rst started. “Since starting the Leakes Needs Lights campaign and launching our petition, road safety at the Leakes Road interchange has defi nitely become far worse,” she said. She recalled changes made by the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP), including a 10km/h speed reduction and the installation of stop signs along the interchange. “The Band-Aid fi xes put in place by the Department of Transport and Planning in October 2025 such as a reduced speed limit, and stop signs replacing give-way signs have had no impact on reducing collisions.” In light of this, Ms Southern said community support for the petition has
Donna Southern with fellow campaigners Robyn Kennedy and Stacey Fraser. (Damjan Janevski) 562966_01
grown massively. “We are half-way through our campaign timeline and community support has taken the shape of many ‘hands on deck’,” she said. “It has been nothing short of amazing to see the community spirit and the passion for something that we really need here.” Ms Southern explained she had spent a great deal of time out in the community hearing from locals’ experiences at the interchange - an eye opener to the impacts of its risks and hazards. “The greatest number of signatures is when you are able to speak to people in person and listen to their stories,” she said. “Everyone has a tale to tell about Leakes Road. There are countless near misses
while driving. An incredible number of people have witnessed serious collisions.” She said the impacts extended further than just on the road itself, causing commuters to take different routes just to avoid the dangerous stretch of road. “The impact on [commuters’] mental health is evident and they will drive up to 30 minutes out of their way in a bid to avoid the intersection,” she explained. Ms Southern said concerns also stemmed from a lack of support for the community. “Apart from the safety issues, a major concern that I hear from other residents and community members is about the long-standing neglect of our roads. “Residents have just had enough of recycled promises.”
A state government spokesperson said upgrade works will make a number of improvements which will address residents’ concerns. “We are working to upgrade the Western Freeway including around the Leakes Road interchange,” the spokesperson said. “The project is currently in the pre-construction phase, with the scope currently being fi nalised.” Campaigners are aiming to receive 10,000 signatures in support of the proposed safety implementations. Petition: https://www.parliament.vic. gov.au/get-involved/petitions/improveroad-safety-and-infrastructure-at-leakesroad-and-western-freeway-interchangerockbank/
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