Moruya Mail

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ARE YOU FEELING 30?

For a while now, Moruya’s Ford -, Church- and Queen street have a speed limit of 30km/hour. Although, when you sit, for example, at the health food Café on Church Street and watch cars race by towards Vulcan street, in a bid to beat the traffic lights, 60km/ hour seems the norm.

And between those target locked drivers in a hurry and those lights, there is a pedestrian crossing. Pedestrians are well advised to only walk across when cars actually stop, and drivers acknowledge their presence and their right of way. The pedestrian crossing on Ford Street is probably the most risky of them all. Mainly because drivers entering Ford Street from the roundabout at Queen Street are not met by a 30 sign on the side of the road or markings on the road.

Queen street doesn’t fare much better. Too many people still use Ford, Church and Queen Street as their route to try and beat traffic on Vulcan street. Both for travelling North and South.

Throw into that mix the drivers for whom the “NO ENTRY” signs on Church Street, marking the exit of the parking lot between Church- and Queen Street, are either not big enough or mean nothing, and we are just waiting for an accident to happen. People using the parking lot as a short cut reach irresponsible speeds. As there is no speed signage in the parking lot, people may actually think that 50kmh is okay.

One issue that needs addressing is the signage on all those roads. For example, people turning onto Church Street from Vulcan Street can almost be forgiven for failing to notice the 30 signs at the beginning of Church Street. There ought to be repeat signs after every entry point on Church Street, Ford Street and Queen Street, reminding and advising drivers of the speed limit.

As a matter of pedestrian safety, Give Way signs, plus 30 signs should be placed at the different pedestrian crossings. And as a matter of safety, 30 signs should be placed at the entry of all parking lots in Moruya.

Finally, speed enforcement by police would be a veery welcome and useful tool in shaping driver behaviour.

For the safety and wellbeing of both local and visitor alike, the execution of the changed zones to 30 kmph should be welcomed and embraced by all. After all, if you think you are that busy that you do not have the extra few seconds in your day it takes to traverse these streets at the reduced speed, well what can one say.

Let us enjoy our lovely town and CBD in safety.

Concerned (and annoyed) long term local business owner.

Lisa McInally

Moruya

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