The Victorian Government is set to trial new technology to curb roadside graffiti, with new panels set to be retrofitted to noise barriers and retaining walls across Melbourne’s north to reduce time spent on graffiti clean-up and removal.
Planning is still underway for the installation of the anti-graffiti panels, but they are set to be in areas that have experienced high levels of graffiti, including on retaining walls and abutments in Tarneit, Sunshine North, Truganina, Tottenham, Maribyrnong and noise walls along the M80 in Bundoora.
Fifty panels will be trialled in select locations identified based on their susceptibility to vandalism.
“This innovative technology will help reduce unsightly graffiti in our neighbourhoods by deterring vandals after these panels are retrofitted to roadsides,” said Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Melissa Horne.
“We hope this trial will reduce cleanup and removal of tags and graffiti by reducing the attractiveness of traditional surfaces.”
The Minister said the panels will blend seamlessly into existing structures and use recycled plastic waste to form what is known as a TagShield panel.
This innovative technology will repurpose diverted plastic waste from landfill, giving containers, bottles and other recyclables a second lease of life.
Each square metre panel features a complex network of shapes and channels that renders graffiti unreadable, made up of engineered polymer that increases paint run.
The trial is scheduled to run for around 12 months, with experts to evaluate the overall effectiveness of deterring vandalism.
“We hope this trial will reduce graffiti in our community as the panels blend seamlessly into the surrounds, as well as diverting plastics from landfill,” said Member for Bundoora, Colin Brooks.
