2013 threw up some interesting problems for our local communities and we hope that 2014 will be the year that some of the issues can be resolved in our favour. Not only do we have to contend with the Hanson and Martin’s Creek  Quarry expansions and subdivision plans by developers,  but also with our Council which seems to close all doors when help is requested.
Quite a few residents have mentioned issues with safety on Brandy Hill Drive and with encouragement from our council representative, Peter Kafer, I presented the community concerns at a Council safety committee meeting on 4th March. I would like to thank Peter and Geoff Dingle for their unending support on getting these issues before Council.
The issues presented were:

1. Warrigal Close intersection….. badly positioned street sign, poor line marking ( actually no line marking) to indicate the turn from Brandy Hill Dr, and the need for a light to make the road more visible at night. In addition, the inadequarte bus bay was mentioned.
2. The post and wire safety fences which have rotted and the wire is hanging over the “footpath” area over the 2 culverts along BHDr.
   

   Warrigal: Poor Fences, line-marking, lighting, bus stop and signage

3. The danger for children to access the bus stops at several places along BHDr and also at the top of Sophia Jane Drive. Several parents have complained to the bus company about the primary school pick up point on the western side of Seaham road / Sophia Jane Drive intersection and the School has also put a submission to Council about the danger posed as children have to cross Seaham Road at the busiest times of the day to access the buses.
   
   

   Sophia Jane north bound stop

4. The danger of walking/cycling was once again highlighted. The Council, in its planning for the heavy vehicle passing lane along Seaham Road from BHDr to Sophia Jane Drive, removed the walking track that locals had created along the fence line on the eastern side of the road. Walkers are now forced to walk along the road itself with only centimetres left between the white line and the drain/ditch. Not only that, but the original guide posts were removed around the end of BHDr BUT the holes remain and no new posts were put in place. A great tripping point for unsuspecting walkers. This is just shoddy, poor planning with the assumption that all children catching the busses at the Sophia Jane bus-stop are driven there by their parents and no-one has the right to walk safely in this area.
   
   

   Poor access to all bus stops

5. Signs indicating wildlife corridors should be reinstated after they were removed several years ago during road works.

There were other issues discussed and if you have any pressing concerns please send them to one of our Councillors or respond to this post.

It will be interesting to see whether Council will act on any of these issues. If they don’t I suggest we bombard them with complaints.

Coincidently, the road works currently being undertaken at the western end of Brandy Hill Dr seems to be addressing concerns of some residents about poor drainage causing water sheeting danger during heavy rain and deteriorating road surface. It remains to be seen whether the bus-stop in that area has been adequately addressed.

Other recent meetings of the Community Consultative Committee and VOWW will be reported on as soon as possible.

Margarete