By Dominique Tassell
Southern Downs Regional Council (SDRC) has approved a six-month trial of one-way traffic conditions on a busy section of Acacia Avenue between Percy and Wood streets, citing traffic congestion, safety concerns and a local petition.
Last year during Covid-19 lockdown, St Mary’s Primary School designated the road as the student pick-up and drop-off point to accommodate social distancing restrictions, however the increase in local traffic in the area called for the council to review the traffic conditions, with safety of road users and local residents a priority.
Southern Downs councillor Andrew Gale supported the motion and stated he hoped the trial would lead to the safest outcome for all parties.
“There are a number of stakeholders invested in this issue and in coming to this decision, council reviewed the feedback from those concerned and impacted,” Cr Gale said.
“The lane ways have always been a concern for me and this decision is a sensible one that place(s) safety front and centre on the agenda.”
He did, however, question why a decision was being made about this particular avenue while other streets, such as Mary Street, were being treated differently.
A SDRC staff member stated that blackspot funding for Mary Street was being applied for and a single solution was not clear for the street, but that decision would be before council in the future.
Cr Ross Bartley raised concerns over whether St Mary’s church had been properly factored into the decision.
He stated that Acacia Avenue was often used by attendees to access church parking and to leave the church without having to “take on the traffic of Wood Street”.
A member of staff stated that in that situation, locals do have the opportunity to seek from police to have a special permit so they can change the traffic conditions for a portion of time.
Cr Sheryl Windle called for other avenues throughout the region to be looked at, stating she’d put in requests for changes last term of council that weren’t acted upon.
“I know that there’s other areas that have this same issue.
“Not particularly with excess parking at drop-off and pick-up of school, but just even access.
“Going in and going out on different areas, so I think maybe it’s timely that we look at the overall around the region and particularly in Warwick with avenues.”
A staff member said they’d had a number of complaints in relation to laneways, generally there are many reasons they should be one way. They further stated this might be brought to an information session for discussion.
Cr Bartley stated changes to avenues would have to be factored into the upcoming review of the planning scheme.
Much of the current issues surrounding Acacia Avenue traffic flow stem from the history of the town’s lane ways which were originally purposed for night soil lanes and designed as narrow.
“The lane ways were never intended for high volumes of traffic and we will review the use of lane ways more broadly across the region in time,” Cr Gale said.
Council received a petition signed by each of the residents along the western frontage of Acacia Avenue between Percy and Wood street at its Ordinary Meeting in June 2021, after which a review the situation was requested.
Traffic conditions will need to be finalised with the school and Catholic Church prior to implementation, with consideration given to the effects of the change on their operations.
