Traffic chaos avoided – Council listens to Murray Street traders

AN APPEAL from Murray Street business owners in Wonthaggi for council not to go ahead with a lights and stripes pedestrian crossing at the eastern end of their street appears to have been heard.

At this Wednesday’s council meeting, Bass Coast Mayor Cr Brett Tessari is set to step out of the chair and move a Notice of Motion sympathetic to the concerns of local business operators.

He’s calling on fellow councillors to support a pause on further implementation of the proposed Murray Street crossing until officers prepare a further report to be presented to the November 18 council meeting.

By way of explanation, Cr Tessari said: “After consulting with Murray Street shopkeepers and hearing their concerns, I am putting forward this notice of motion.”

 He’s seeking a report which details an estimate on the project and lifecycle costs, funding opportunities, traffic and pedestrian safety implications, consultation outcomes, alternative design options and recommended next steps.

Traders previously raised concerns about the loss of parking spaces, creating problems for deliveries in the street and there being no demonstrated need for the project.

Doubt was also raised about the level of community support relied on by shire planners in recommending the project and also that the location nominated by shire officers was not the one identified in the ‘Smarter Choices Access and Movement Study’ prepared for council by the Institute for Sensible Transport in July 2020.

That expert study called for a pedestrian crossing near the Murray Street-McKenzie Street intersection, not as proposed by shire officers, 80 metres down the street. It also relied on a similar traffic barrier treatment in McKenzie Street, stopping traffic from turning right.

Peter Phillips of Autopro Wonthaggi said in July that he was concerned the decision had already been made but together with other traders continued to force the issue with council.

“There’s too much going on in that location already,” he said.

“There’s drivers coming in and out of the Ampol petrol station, in and out of Aldi and you can see how many cars are coming down from McKenzie Street now,” he said, pointing to a steady stream of cars making the right-hand turn into Murray Street from McKenzie Street.

He also said traders and delivery drivers opposed the plan to stop traffic turning right into Murray Street from McKenzie Street which he said would have an adverse impact on revenue.

Key issues expressed by traders

They include:

• Submission 1: Concerned crossing will increase traffic congestion Customers rely on convenient vehicle access for the services provided by many of the businesses in this location due to weight of products, high proportion of elderly clientele. Murray street is used by suppliers for deliveries due to limited parking at rear of the business. Concern also about impact on other businesses. Restricting right turns from McKenzie Street in Murray Street is not viable for delivery vehicles.
• Submission 2: Strongly oppose the crossing. Reduced parking and traffic congestion will negatively impact the business. Crossing will create traffic chaos at busy times of the year. A left in left out of Murray Street would lead to customers by-passing their business. Times have been tough for retail – restricting access for customers would be further detrimental.
• Submission 3: Biggest current issue is restricted sight lines turning right out of Aldi (from parked cars). Aware of near misses of right turners with reversing vehicles. Queuing in peak times from traffic wanting to enter McKenzie Street blocks the access in and out of Aldi at times and reduced sight lines. Supportive of crossing but would like to see it shifted further west – perhaps near the toilets.
• Submission 4: Concern about removing more car parking spaces from the Wonthaggi CBD. Don’t feel that the amount of foot traffic in the area warrants a crossing. Possible future removal of right turns into Murray Street from McKenzie Street would not work. Alternative routes would cause other traffic issues and not be feasible for delivery trucks accessing the supermarkets in Murray Street. Pedestrian safety could be improved by introducing a mid-road safety refuge in the area identified (like what’s on McKenzie Street just above the traffic lights) or a zebra pedestrian crossing at the eastern end of Murray Street.
• Submission 5: Crossing would greatly inconvenience customers turning left into Murray Street. Concerned vehicle queueing will be more than one or two cars during the busy time in the morning and afternoon. Crossing would cause congestion. Don’t support left only turn out of Murray Street into McKenzie Street or left only access to Murray Street off McKenzie Street. Business is dependent on traffic flow. Adjoining businesses are destination businesses and require good car access.

The Notice of Motion by Cr Tessari still needs to be supported by a majority of councillors for there to be a pause and potentially abandonment of the Murray Street pedestrian crossing plan.

Additional reading on the subject HERE