IT took almost three years of community lobbying, but intervention from Roads Minister Duncan Gay has led to a speed reduction on The Escort Way.
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Member for Orange Andrew Gee announced the speed limit would be reduced from 80km/h to 60km/h.
The change will affect the start of the existing 80km/h zone west of the Northern Distributor Road intersection to about 350 metres west of Jonathon Road where residential development ends.
“I’ve had a number of constituents contact me and in the end it was taking so long that I sought the intervention of Duncan Gay [the roads minister],” he said.
When asked whether the need to involve the minister concerned him, Mr Gee said the speed of government bureaucracy never surprised him.
“The issue has come into more prominence as these developments here have been completed and more houses have come up,” he said.
“Back in 2011, there was still very much construction going on in these areas. There are lots more people coming in and out, it really makes it all the more important to get the issue resolved.”
Councillors Russell Turner and Ron Gander welcomed the announcement.
Cr Gander said the request to reduce the speed limit on Cargo Road had been acted on much quicker, but it was more dangerous and its accident history was worse.
“Fortunately there’s been very few accidents and no deaths that I’m aware of, but of course the RMS and the police aren’t notified when there are near misses or small accidents,” Cr Turner said.
Poplars Drive resident Bruno Belmonte raised his concerns in September, 2011 after his beloved poodle Bam Bam was killed on the road.
At the time, he appealed for a speed reduction to 50km/h, however, he said this week he was satisfied with a reduction to 60km/h.
“It’s well overdue but it’s great news because the intersection has only gotten busier since [2011],” he said.
Mr Belmonte said it was challenging for motorists from residential side streets to enter The Escort Way due to the speed of traffic travelling over the hill.
“You have to drive aggressively just to fit in the traffic. It’s not comfortable,” he said.
“It should have been done a lot earlier to accommodate the housing in that area.”
The reduction will come into force in a month’s time and warning signs will be in place for a week after the speed signs are installed to inform motorists.
danielle.cetinski@fairfaxmedia.com.au