COUNCIL will approach Port Macquarie and Oxley MPs as a "matter of urgency" after being presented with another community petition calling for action at the dangerous King Creek Road and Oxley Highway intersection.
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The petition to Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, presented at the April meeting, included 1000 signatories and follows a petition with 630 signatures recently tabled in parliament by Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams.
Council will seek advice from state MPs and Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul O'Toole on current plans and timing of upgrade works on the Oxley Highway.
Two residents, representing the Hastings Residents Association, addressed councillors outlining their concerns.
Dr Murtaza Ahmed and Margo Pickering addressed council in relation to safety and the urgent need for an upgrade.
"Every day we are unnecessarily risk lives ourselves, our families and most concerningly, our children to get to our place of work or our children to school," Dr Ahmed said.
"The turn is a safety nightmare and we can no longer sit quietly.
"Why is it that we have to sit by and wait until we lose one, or heaven forbid, more of our community members, in a potential fatal road accident before somebody will hear our calls for some kind of change."
Dr Ahmed said they bring to the table decades of safety concerns.
"Despite this, none of the planned solutions have been implemented or seriously talked about, despite the rapid growth of the area and huge increase in traffic on these roads."
Margo Pickering called on Transport for NSW and state members for action to improve safety and congestion at this intersection.
"Community concern is based upon the poor standards at this intersection, unsafe design, high and increasing traffic flow rates and poor traffic channelling control," Ms Pickering said.
"These concerns have been raised with MPs since 2003 and with council over many years.
"Over the years, King Creek has emerged from a sleepy farming district into a vibrant cohesive community with a lifestyle in high demand."
More than 14,000 vehicles per day pass this intersection.
The installation of turning lanes have significantly impeded the line of sight which continues to be a critical issue at this intersection, Ms Pickering said.
There have been 11 crashes and 13 casualties at this intersection since 2012, half of these occurring in the past three years.
The statistics, Ms Pickering said, do not show the many near misses and unreported accidents that have occurred.
Mayor Peta Pinson said the road network is experiencing a great deal of pressure.
"The amount of vehicles now that are using our main arterial roads and highways is becoming quite extreme," Cr Pinson said.
"There has been a discussion going for some time. I am a huge advocate for road safety and you cannot put a price on a human life. You cannot say it's too expensive to upgrade sections of road.
"If it was wholly and soley a council responsibility I'd urge councillors to knock down the door of our CEO and say our residents have spoken, what are we going to do about this.
"We have partners involved in this intersection. It's the state government and it's their highway - that's not to pass the buck, but that's the reality of the situation."
Cr Pinson calls on King Creek Road to be included in the current review of Oxley Highway intersection upgrades.
King Creek Road investigations are underway as a part of a broader review of Oxley Highway intersections currently on exhibition by Transport for NSW.
Transport for NSW has put forward concept options with proposed improvements across the 9.5 kilometre stretch between Billabong Drive and Hastings River Drive at the Gordon Street traffic lights.
Council's CEO, Dr Clare Allen, will also write to Mrs Williams and the Hon. Paul Toole, Minister for Transport and Roads, requesting an extension to the current exhibition period for the Oxley Highway intersection upgrade plans by two weeks to May 21, to allow the community sufficient time to review and respond to the exhibited plans.
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