Cr Peter Walker has called for more information to be distributed to Run-O-Waters residents about emergency access.
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With the fire season looming, at Tuesday’s meeting he pinned down staff on a timeframe for works and completion of a precinct-wide traffic management plan.
Residents have been up in arms for some time over the single access to the estate, particularly during fire and traffic accidents.
Cr Walker said the condition of Carr Street, a planned emergency egress, would still make it difficult for people to get out.
“There are large craters on the road and I think it needs a little bit more maintenance up there. I know there’s also a problem with Greendale Court (another proposed emergency access) but the people I’m more concerned about are the residents of Run-O-Waters.”
Cr Walker said he had inspected Greendale Court, leading over to a Hume Highway escape route, and noted “six to eight-inch deep tyre marks” in the ground. He asked for road base on the surface to allow safe passage.
“I think within the next two weeks we need a public meeting to discuss what the plans are in an emergency, who has the keys (to gates) and when and how the triggers are pulled when something goes wrong,” he said.
Cr Walker also pointed out that although another temporary emergency access, via Pockley Drive, had been discussed, landholder Stewart Thompson had not been thoroughly consulted about this.
After the meeting, general manger Warwick Bennett said management would discuss with councillors whether a public meeting or a second mail-out to residents about emergency provisions was the best option.
“We are finalising works there. We’ve put in gates at Greendale Court and Carr Street and removed the the dirt blockade in Carr Street. But we need road base on Greendale Court so that it’s trafficable when used for emergency access,” he told The Post.
Mr Bennett said creation of the accesses had involved considerable consultation with the Rural Fire Service and State Emergency Service. There would also be further consultation with Mr Thompson and residents in the area after modelling and engineering work on Pockley Drive was carried out.
The council is investigating the extension of the western end of Mary Street from Carr Street, linking in with Pockley Drive, as a permanent second access. Mr Bennett said at this stage emergency access via Pocley Drive and Mr Thompson’s land was being discounted until after the engineering work was done.
Meantime, a traffic management plan for Run-O-Waters has been under consideration since earlier this year. Councillors heard at their meeting that a draft would be completed by the end of this year. The council has received a DA for a Shannon Drive residential subdivision that would affect the plan.