Brunswick Baptist Church on Sydney Road, Jill Meagher tributes. Photo Teagan Glenane
A SAFETY audit of Sydney Road is slated to come before Moreland City council tonight, with more CCTV and better lighting around the strip to be considered.
It follows the emotional response to the death of Jill Meagher, a 29-year-old Irish national, who went missing from Sydney Road last month.
Coburg man Adrian Ernest Bayley, 41, is set to face the Melbourne Magistrates Court in January charged with her rape and murder.
Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu said up to $3 million in grants would be made available to local governments that wished to install CCTV cameras.
He said he had asked for advice on the adequacy of CCTV coverage across Melbourne's CBD and inner suburbs, and for CCTV black spots to be identified.
CCTV footage of Ms Meagher was released as part of the investigation into her disappearance.
Moreland mayor John Kavanagh said he welcomed the state government's commitment to CCTV funding.
"Over the coming weeks and months we will work closely with Victoria Police and the community to explore options to improve community safety," he said.
The council is expected to discuss the Sydney Road safety audit at the last council meeting before elections.
Moreland councillor Lambros Tapinos said he favoured an audit of lighting around Sydney Road, an investigation into the use of CCTV and a survey into how pedestrians moved to and from the main strip.
"I think we should at least investigate CCTV," he said.
Sydney Road Brunswick Association co-ordinator Claire Perry said she did not believe the road was more dangerous than similar Melbourne strips, but said lighting could be improved.
She said the association had long asked for better lighting - especially on the side streets connecting Sydney Road to Upfield line railway stations.
"It is incredibly dark around those railway stations," she said.
Moreland councillor Jo Connellan said she thought it was too soon after Ms Meagher's death to discuss the safety issue and she believed it was a matter for the new council.
A funeral service was held for Ms Meagher at Fawkner Cemetery on Friday, and her ashes were taken to Perth.