Whether you're in Beechworth, Yackandandah or Chiltern, you won't find a Macca's or KFC, but you will be swept up by the charm of the small towns. In a world that's become all too commercialised, it's refreshing to have towns such as these in our region.

That said, it doesn't mean the residents of these towns should remain in the dark ages and, sadly, that's what we've seen in Rutherglen in the past week. We're lucky we're not talking about a far more tragic circumstance.

Rutherglen was left reeling last weekend after a truck smashed into a car, shopfront and power pole leaving hundreds without power.

It comes as Indigo councillor Roberta Horne started a petition to the Victorian Minister for Roads and Road Safety calling for the balance of the $2 million already put aside to be "fully invested in best practice traffic calming devices".

Our article earlier this week showed a 1971 article from the Rutherglen Sun featuring the headline "Main road to bypass Rutherglen rejected", highlighting the longstanding nature of the issue.

Member for Indi Helen Haines joined the chorus on Thursday, lamenting in federal parliament that the "issue has been at a standstill for decades".

"Rutherglen residents have been rattled by trucks rolling through their beautiful town for long enough," Dr Haines said.

"No community should live in fear of their life, by simply walking down their main street.

"This accident demonstrates the significant concerns of the Rutherglen community, where hundreds of trucks drive through the narrow, heritage, Main Street of their bustling tourist town every day."

A poll on The Border Mail's website revealed that three quarters of pedestrians on Main Street feel unsafe crossing the thoroughfare.

In 2024, that's just not good enough.

The Victorian government must step up to the plate and help Rutherglen residents feel safe on a street that, as Benambra MP Bill Tilley said, was "was designed for horse and buggy not B-doubles".