Proposed Campbell Street and Calala Lane roundabout
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The below comments are made as a matter of public interest to assist Tamworth Regional Council in its decision making.
Reference is made to the community concerns raised about the proposed roundabout at the intersection of Campbell Street and Calala Lane.
Some residents have indicated that Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) consultations have been perfunctory and process driven.
A review of TRC minutes and Traffic committee reveals that on the 10 February 2021 and 3 March 2021 that line marking and kerbing and guttering was approved. On 10th February at the Traffic committee meeting the roundabout at the intersection was approved. It is noted that the Transport for NSW representative was absent. That recommendation was subsequently approved at the ordinary Council meeting on 23 February 2021. It is noted that the school bus operator raised sight concerns in relation to the bus stop adjacent to the proposed roundabout. There was a proposal of reducing the speed limits from 60 Km to 50 Km and police concerns were raised about the number of near misses at the Calala Lane - Goonoo Goonoo Road roundabout approaches to the proposed roundabout.
Carinya Christian School is on record expressing its concerns regarding the potential danger resulting from the proposed roundabout.
The experienced ambulance paramedic, Ray Tait, responsible for the aftermath of road accidents during his career, has expressed concerns about the safety of the design of the proposed roundabout.
An experienced Police crash investigator, who wishes to remain anonymous, has expressed concerns about the safety of the design of the proposed roundabout.
National Roads and Motorists Association (NRMA) has expressed concerns about the safety of the design of the proposed roundabout.
Their collective view is that traffic lights and pedestrian crossings, properly designed and located could be a better option than the currently proposed design for the proposed roundabout.
Tamworth Regional Council has on 27 April approved a contract to build the roundabout for $1,388,000. We are advised by quotation that an experienced traffic light installer, quoting without an onsite inspection, and not including any required civil works for installation, has provided a quotation of less than $300,000 to install traffic lights.
Government bodies are often shielded from liability for what would usually be regarded as an act of negligence, referred to as the doctrine of immunity. However in more recent times, where safety issues are not properly addressed by Councils, they have been found to be liable for failure of duty of care and negligent, as a result of not addressing road safety deficiencies.
No reasonable response has been made by Tamworth Regional Council to address the central issue raised by the experienced paramedic, the experienced police crash investigator or the NRMA. That is, the increased risk of injury, or severe injury or death to a pedestrian in the vicinity of the proposed roundabout, possibly a school child.
Tamworth Regional Council is pressed to revisit its decision to proceed with the roundabout at the intersection Campbell Road and Calala Lane and heed the concerns of the local residents, the Carinya School, the experienced paramedic, the experienced police crash investigator and the NRMA and the substantially 70 per cent lower estimated cost for installation of traffic lights.
Tamworth Regional Council is pressed to reconsider the proposed roundabout construction and to instead consider installation traffic of traffic lights as an option, in such a manner that will optimise the safety aspects for the pedestrians using those road crossings.
Robyn Lang
Secretary - Tamworth Regional Residents and Ratepayers Association, Inc
Zombie PELS
At the 2019 Nationals Annual Conference in Inverell, a motion was passed calling on the State Government to extinguish all Zombie Petroleum Exploration Licences. Petroleum Exploration for Gas (CSG) threatens prime agricultural land, critical water resources, forested areas, wildlife habitat and culturally significant sites.
National MPs Kevin Anderson and Adam Marshall have both deplored Gas exploration in their Electorates. Independent MP, Justin Field, has introduced a Bill which would allow both MPs to reflect the wishes of their Party Members and their constituents. They have an obligation to support this Bill to extinguish the zombie PELS.
Jan Brahe on behalf of Armidale Action on Coal Seam Gas & Mining (Aacsg&m)
Thumbs down
To the company is responsible for the lawn cemetery.
On the weekend of Mother's Day several people were visiting the graves of their loved ones with beautiful flowers but there was nothing to put them in and some left with the flowers.
If you don't want people to take glass containers in, please supply sufficient plastic vases as there was not enough by Saturday afternoon.
Trust we will see an improvement in the future.
Kathie O'Brien, West Tamworth
Upper Hunter by-election
Young people of the Upper Hunter deserve a clean, green future
From an outsider looking in, the May 22 Upper Hunter by-election is shaping up as a fascinating event to watch. Reading the responses to ACM's three questions revealed a depth of understanding of the issues and a clear passion for the region among most candidates. It seems that several of them would do a good job.
In a way, the people who live and work in the Upper Hunter are the filling in a political sandwich.
Let's hope that whoever wins the election is not just a Party mouthpiece, but someone who can balance the short-term economic needs with the longer-term environmental ones as the region moves beyond coal.
The younger generations deserve a clean, green future.
Ray Peck, Hawthorn, Vic
Quad bike safety rules
I read with dismay and rage that a timeframe of 24 months was granted to manufacturers to continue 'trading quad bikes' up to and including 10 October, 2021 without protection devices, notably roll-bars.
A summary of quad bike fatalities 2011-2020 compiled by Safe Work Australia recorded 150 fatalities, including 23 children under 16yrs, none of which were recorded with quad bike roll-over protection.
A further six persons/day present to hospital each day, with a quad bike related injury.
Tragically, 'the reality' remains that quad bike owners are 'HIGHLY UNLIKELY' to be fitting roll bar protection to their quad bike once it has left the showroom, which leaves quad bike owners in 'the same league' as rock fishermen, WITHOUT 'fit for purpose' life-jackets.
With very little input 'a Google search' will inform you that standard roll-over for a quad-bike sells in the vicinity of $1,270.
A quad bike WITHOUT a roll bar is clearly, NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE.
What do we have to do, to stop these tragic accidents?
Judy Marheine, Tamworth
Return to normal
Puppies have become the new must have toy over the COVID time, the must have accessory. Many of the COVID lockdown restrictions permitted walking a dog and thus there was a need for dogs. The simplest rule from economic theory is that if there is a demand beyond supply then prices rise and so puppies cost thousands of dollars. Similar upsurges in interest occurred with home gardening so there was a run on vegetable seeds, library borrowing went up and people returned to old hobbies and there were queues outside hobby shops.
But what will happen when life returns to normal?
The gardens will go to weeds, the jigsaws will be put away but what of all the now grown up dogs? They are too 'valuable' to give away, they can't be returned easily, they cost money and walking them each day will get boring. There is just another, quite sad, example of how COVID has changed many people's lives and not always for the better even if they were never affected by the Virus itself.
How long will it take before we can safely return to the old ways?
Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne
Council Elections
This is just to let Tamworth residents know that I am standing for September 4, 2021 nominations. If you want an honest councillor please vote Fritze. Thank you.
Andre Fritze, Tamworth