Road Safety

Mr TARZIA (Hartley) (15:16): I rise today to note serious road safety concerns within my electorate, particularly problems associated with Payneham Road and surrounding roads. I note the recent crashes in the area. Let me just say I acknowledge and welcome the current reconstruction of an intersection close to this road, being the Glynburn and Magill Road intersection, and I thank the member for Bragg who, when I was a candidate at the last state election, rallied and lobbied the current government and the local councils with me to upgrade that intersection. I am pleased to say from all accounts it is on track and looking good.

At the last election I also made a commitment to our local residents affected by particularly high volumes of traffic on Payneham Road and surrounding roads that I would fight for, amongst other things, a widening of the road to allow for greater traffic flow to the Glynde Corner. Glynde Corner is the major intersection in Hartley and it is one of the key arterial intersections leading from the Adelaide CBD to the north-eastern suburbs. When Payneham Road was constructed there was certainly little foresight and understanding of the property growth that was to occur and has occurred in the north-east over a number of decades, and it has certainly been a growing issue for some time for my constituents. One only has to visit the road during peak hour traffic in the morning or after work to see that problem at the moment.

Payneham Road is actually now at a point, I believe, where congestion and public safety for all commuters and users of public transport are so bad that travel time has been jeopardised. The safety of residents who live alongside Payneham Road is affected as well. In my opinion, congestion during peak hour on weekdays particularly but also on weekends is unacceptable. Honourable members will note that I am circulating a petition at the moment and I intend to present it to the house encouraging the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI), to present a road management plan for the future of the road and surrounding roads. I look forward to working with the department, the local councils and the relevant minister in the coming months and years.

Over the last few months in particular there have been serious traffic collisions on the corners of Payneham Road, Glynburn Road and other arterial roads in the electorate, and these incidents have occurred with sometimes very serious injuries to motorists and pedestrians. Whilst these incidents are not necessarily a direct result of the problems with these roads, we cannot rest on our laurels. There is certainly more that we could be doing, as an opposition and as a government. These are not isolated cases and I believe it is incumbent on us all to help solve serious issues of road safety when we see fit.

The problems associated with Payneham Road do not just extend to commuters. The quality and safety of some of our local roads in Hartley are also in need of urgent repair and review. Local residents in the suburbs have raised concerns with me and my office about the safety of through roads that are often used by motorists to avoid the congestion of Payneham Road and other arterial roads during peak hour. I particularly highlight the problems associated with Barnes Road in Glynde and Arthur Street in Payneham, as well as many others.

I would like to assure those local residents that I will certainly be discussing these issues in greater detail in the future and I look forward to the support of the government in solving these road safety issues down the track.