Save the lemon scented gum
Speech delivered on 23 June 2016
Ms SANDELL (Melbourne) — (Question 7690) My question is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. Will the minister intervene to stop the removal of the median strip at the Flemington Bridge tram stop and retain the lemon-scented gum? VicRoads has informed residents that this Saturday they will cut down a 94-year-old lemon-scented gum in Parkville to make way for the CityLink-Tulla widening project. This is despite Melbourne City Council opposing the removal and other options being available to VicRoads which do not require removing the tree.
The tree is listed by the National Trust, and almost 2000 residents have signed a petition against its removal. But this is not just about a tree; it is also about safety. People crossing the road are required to cross four lanes of traffic and a tramline, walking at at least 1 metre per second. Without the median strip, residents from the nearby Elderly Chinese Home and Mercy Place Parkville retirement apartments will not be able to cross safely, so I urge the minister to intervene.