A petition requesting the installation of a dual traffic island on the first two bends of Mead Street in Byford was knocked back by Serpentine Jarrahdale council late last year.
Councillor Jacqui See presented the 21-signature petition to council on November 26 which cited ongoing concerns relating to unsafe driving practices immediately east of Warrington Road.
The petition by resident Paul Evans alleged that many vehicles at various times were seen speeding and crossing onto the opposite lane to maintain dangerous speeds, which he said was dangerous for vulnerable road users and other road users alike.
Council discussed the petition at the December ordinary council meeting, which resulted in a unanimous vote to not implement the request of the petition and forward concerns raised about dangerous driving to WA Police.
A further motion was added to advise everyone who signed the petition about the outcome of the council decision and the reason why.
According to the council report Mead Street between Warrington Road and Gordin Way was designed to carry local traffic and through traffic of up to 3000 vehicles a day.
However, an assessment undertaken showed only 1556 vehicles per day indicating only half of the road capacity was utilised.
Crash data of the past five years showed only one collision involving property damage and a vehicle speed test also termed the operational speed was 55.8km/hr slightly above the legal speed limit of 50km/hr.
Should council have voted to accept the petition’s request an additional $160,000 would have needed to be added to the already approved 2018-19 capital budget in order to undertake the works.
The road pavement would also have to be widened involving the relocation of street light, realignment of drainage pipeline, realignment of the footpath potentially into the Department of Education land and potential loss of car parking bays.
