Local traffic management…

Local traffic management…Kurralta Park/Plymton/Marleston

As your local elected member of Council, I hear many concerns from residents about local traffic issues, which are becoming more frequent due to the increased traffic from infill development in our local  area.

Fixing local traffic issues is not easy, as changes made on one street have a flow-on effect to other surrounding areas.  For this reason, Council works on a local area to implement changes to make improvements to traffic flows for the trouble spots, hopefully without causing issues in others – this is called a Local Area Traffic Management plan or LATM.

LATM reports can be expensive to produce as there are many traffic surveys and local consultation before physical road changes can be made.  For this reason, Council has a program of completing one LATM at a time, based on a set priority.

It is my view that while a good process, it is taking far too long.  For example the first LATM in Underdale/Torrensville/Thebarton commenced in 2013, the report was completed in 2015, and the physical changes are approximately 50% done.

Kurralta Park, Marleston and Plympton precinct is not due to commence until 2020, meaning the physical improvements are not likely to happen until at least 2022-2024. Ashford and Keswick precinct is due commence in late 2018, and should be complete in 2020, ready for physical works to commence. I think we need to consider our budget and eventually allocate more funding to improving our local traffic management, obviously having to make savings in other areas.  Local traffic management is a core responsibility of your Council, and needs appropriate priority.

I recently moved the below Motion, that calls for a report on the feasibility to at least complete the report part of the LATM for all remaining precincts in one go, which can then be allocated funding in future budget years for the physical works.

That the Administration prepare a report for Council consideration on the likely implication of carrying out the remaining LATM studies for Precincts D, 17, 19 and 20 as a single project to expedite the LATM strategy, having regard to considerations such as cost (in-house and external), consultation with relevant stakeholders, the adopted LATM methodology and other relevant matters that may impact on such a process .

Let’s hope the forthcoming report is supportive of expediting the schedule of LATMs in our local area.  For any issues or questions with this or any other issue, feel free to contact me, or Council administration.

Let’s improve our local traffic together.