DANGEROUS traffic conditions were a hot topic in Carwar Avenue, Carss Park, for a number of years but many residents had lost hope that the problem would be solved.
Then Labor’s candidate for Kogarah, Chris Minns, came doorknocking, asking if he could help in any way — and unwittingly reignited the passion to continue the fight.
Mr Minns got the same story at a number of households. The residents were at their wits’ end trying to protect themselves, their children and pets from the speeding traffic in this supposedly quiet, suburban street, and Kogarah Council would do nothing to help.
Carwar Avenue had become a short cut for motorists between Princes Highway and Park Road and many did not observe the speed limit, often driving at more than 70km/h.
Visitors to parks and picnic spots in the area were adding to the traffic problem.
‘‘They travel along Carwar Avenue and then down to Carlton Crescent, making their way across to Park Road,’’ Mr Minns said.
‘‘Carwar Avenue has become a de facto speedway, with parents concerned about the safety of their children.’’
Residents complained about accidents, parked cars being side-swiped and pets being run over.
One resident installed double gates to ensure their kids and dogs could not get out on to the road.
Anthony Bozdas, a resident for three years, said he had forbidden his two children from going outside without supervision.
‘‘I’ve almost been run over myself when trying to cross the road,’’ Mr Bozdas said.
Like other young families in the street, the Bozdas family bought their house believing it was a safe street with a 50km/h speed limit.
‘‘We’ve been trying to liaise with Kogarah Council to get some action taken about the high speeds but the council only comes up with Band-Aid solutions,’’ he said.
Mr Bozdas said one council solution was to arrange for police patrol cars to monitor the traffic.
"But they've only done that once or twice," he said.
"Their other solution was 'slow down' stickers on the garbage bins — they just want to be seen to be doing something without doing anything."
Mr Bozdas said they wanted real solutions, such as traffic-calming devices, roundabouts and reducing traffic to Carwar Avenue by getting rid of some of the left and right turns into the street.
"If we do nothing we are willing to accept that something really bad will happen in the future," Mr Bozdas said.
Mr Minns has taken the matter to the opposition spokesman on roads, Walt Secord, who is expected to bring it to the attention of parliament.
Mr Minns said NSW Labor was calling on the state government to work with Kogarah Council to conduct a comprehensive traffic and street-safety study for Carwar Avenue.
He said the study should examine appropriate traffic-calming devices including speed humps, chicanes, medians, traffic lights, roundabouts, funnelling traffic away from Carwar Avenue and speed monitors.
COUNCIL COMMENT
A Kogarah Council spokeswoman said the council undertook traffic management across the local government area (LGA) to assist smooth traffic flows and increase the safety of pedestrians and other road users.
‘‘Council receives requests from time to time regarding traffic volumes and speeds within streets in the LGA,’’ she said.
‘‘These are usually assessed by measuring actual vehicle speed and volume data using traffic counters.
‘‘Counts were recently conducted in Carwar Avenue, with the results indicating that both speed and volume were within acceptable limits for Carwar Avenue, which is classified as a local road.
‘‘As the concentration of traffic rises over time, it is possible that some local streets may reach the threshold for vehicle speed or volume controls, however, at this stage Carwar Avenue has not reached these levels.
‘‘Council makes NSW Police aware of complaints it receives regarding drivers of vehicles that are breaking speed rules, so these locations, including Carwar Avenue, can be spot monitored.’’
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