Rollands Plains residents are fearful after another car accident on Bril Bril Road.
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A car overturned on the road on Monday morning, August 13, and fortunately, the driver wasn’t badly injured, but members of the local community say the road is perilous.
They say the corner previously claimed two lives in recent times.
“In the last three months alone, there have been two vehicles written off from accidents on this corner, and a further five that have run off the road, yet been able to drive away,” said local community activist, Phil Morton.
He said the community have had a long and protracted discussion with Port Macquarie-Hastings Council about road safety issues and the condition of Bril Bril Road, with no clear commitment to upgrading or sealing it.
“Both Federal Minister Melinda Pavey, Minister of Roads, and Dr David Gillespie our local member, have offered to support the council in seeking funding to upgrade this much-maligned rural road to a wider, tar-sealed, safe surface,” he said.
Bril Bril Road is a loop road through to Bellangry and Wauchope and is a major economic access road to forestry, rural and other businesses.
Local people are concerned about its narrowness and poor surfaces because it is used by school buses and by numerous Rollands Plains residents.
“While local residents realise the danger of this road and generally drive to the conditions, this morning is an example of someone passing through, assuming that the road surface is safe to drive at a normal speed, and the result is nearly another fatality on this corner,” said Mr Morton.
He said State Forests’ Tony Johnson has stated that Bril Bril Road is crucial to their logging operation which is a major employer in the Hastings area.
“They have been very supportive in recognising how dangerous this road and have restricted all their log trucks to 40km/hour speed limit,” he said.