Hahndorf Bypass

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (16:02): I move:

That the Environment, Resources and Development Committee inquire into and report on the diversion of heavy vehicles along River Road and Strathalbyn Road, with particular reference to:

1. The consultation and decision-making processes that led to the decision to divert traffic along River Road and Strathalbyn Road;

2. The impacts of the diversion on local amenity, community safety and the environment;

3. The impacts of the diversion on traffic in Hahndorf, Mount Barker and other Adelaide Hills communities;

4. Alternative solutions for freight transport through the Adelaide Hills;

5. Any other relevant matters.

In 2021, the Hahndorf Strategic Planning Study commissioned by the state and federal governments found that the lack of connectivity to and from the South Eastern Freeway is causing additional traffic and freight in the township, primarily due to there being no convenient alternative route between Mount Barker in the east and Balhannah and Woodside in the north without travelling through the main street of Hahndorf, and there being no convenient alternative route between the south, the west or the east without travelling through the main street of Hahndorf.

The study also found that the current traffic on the Hahndorf main street, Mount Barker Road, was limiting the economy, function and amenity of the area. There were over 10,000 vehicles, including hundreds of heavy vehicles, per day on the main street, along with a significant number of pedestrians.

In response to a series of options released for public consultation by the Department for Transport to resolve the issue, the Hahndorf community canvassed their own option to reduce the impact, which involved much less property acquisition and footprint. The option put involved creating a bypass between Echunga Road and the South Eastern Freeway with a half interchange, not a full interchange, with a road running through the Beerenberg Farm, put forward by the previous Marshall government.

However, in 2023 the Malinauskas government decided to completely scrap the bypass project, instead opting to divert all heavy traffic along Strathalbyn and River roads. This move prompted immediate protests from local residents and truck drivers concerned about the implications for safety, amenity and their local environment caused by moving heavy freight vehicles along roads that are just not fit for this purpose.

One resident of River Road, Emma Smith, told The Advertiser that her children's bedroom was just metres from the edge of the road, and her biggest fear was a logging truck going through their room. 'We have great concerns about our safety,' she said. 'I can tell with a fair amount of certainty that there will be a fatality on this road.' Truck driver Ben Simounds, from Simounds Transport, also told The Advertiser it would be 'only a matter of time' before a serious accident or fatality happened if heavy vehicles used River Road regularly.

A petition was organised by concerned locals, requesting that the Malinauskas Labor government take immediate action to reverse its decision to divert heavy trucks onto River Road and Strathalbyn Road to and from Main Road, Hahndorf. It also urged that funding be committed for a new Hahndorf bypass or other solutions. This petition has received a huge wave of support—over 10,000 physical signatures. I want to acknowledge Councillor Anne Fordham, Jenny Lamb and others who have taken the lead in organising the petition for their steadfast advocacy over the last two years on this important issue for people who are living in the Adelaide Hills. Indeed, I have met on multiple occasions with Councillor Fordham to discuss this issue, and I know that the Greens candidate for Heysen has also been interested and concerned about this issue.

The petition organisers have described some of the reasons that people gave when they signed the petition. These included:

safety issues—residents reported near misses, particularly trying to get out of their driveways or being literally run off the road by trucks;

the loss of amenity of the roads for other users, such as drivers, cyclists, walkers and horse riders. Some reported that these road users have largely abandoned River Road and Strathalbyn Road, and these were previously quite popular tourist routes;

the practical unsuitability of the road for trucks and the high cost of retrofitting the roads;

the negative impact on local wildlife, particularly adjacent to the Onkaparinga River wildlife corridor, with potential disturbance or destruction of habitat for many species of birds, reptiles, bats, marsupials and other animals;

the detrimental impacts to residents because of increased noise, vibration, lighting, also safety issues, harmful fumes and an overall reduced amenity;

the need to have an alternative route out of Mount Barker to the west in the case of emergencies such as bushfire;

the inefficiency of the diversion—the increased length of road compared to gaining direct freeway access off Echunga Road increases the transit time for drivers;

the need to fix Hahndorf's traffic issues. A bypass around Hahndorf does not help fix main street congestion, and this was recognised back when the River Road diversion was first proposed. It is not going to achieve that aim. Of particular concern was traffic travelling north to south, including increased traffic stemming from a growing population in Mount Barker. We know the Mount Barker area has been dogged by poor planning decisions, from poor public transport infrastructure to road congestion. Indeed, this has been a Labor planning disaster. The Labor government under the leadership of Premier Rann and Premier Weatherill continued with this terrible planning regime, which has created a ticking time bomb for the people of Mount Barker. We are seeing the chickens come home to roost today with that poor planning process;

successive governments have failed to provide the Adelaide Hills with the investment in transport infrastructure, including public transport that is desperately needed. Indeed, I have written to the former transport minister, the Hon. Tom Koutsantonis, about this matter in the past and the need to increase public transport to the Adelaide Hills and Hahndorf in particular; and

finally, concern was raised about the way this issue was handled, with little notice given or opportunities to comment. It was believed that there has not been a fair go given to those directly impacted. It is a classic case of announce and defend, rather than genuine public consultation.

It is particularly disappointing to see this lack of consultation from the Malinauskas government, because residents have been willing to work with the government to develop solutions. Indeed, last year concerned residents developed a proposal for a Hahndorf link road to allow traffic to bypass town. They engaged a retired traffic engineer and even released a new map of the proposed route, which could include walking and bike riding trails, a horse track, a lookout, an Indigenous interpretive trail, a vegetation corridor and links from the main street to Hahndorf. There are lots and lots of options that could be explored.

I recognise some things have changed since the community first put this issue forward. The minister has changed and I know the new minister will certainly adopt a more sympathetic ear, I think, to community voices than her predecessor. I mean no disrespect to the Hon. Tom Koutsantonis but he is not always known for his consultative style.

But I do know that the Hon. Emily Bourke is somebody who is more open to listening to the community, and I hope she will adopt that approach with respect to this proposal and actually say, 'Let's listen to the community.' I asked her about this in question time today and the honourable minister did indicate that she would be open to meeting with all community groups, so I will certainly make sure that my office connects her office with some of the community representatives who have reached out to me in the hope that this matter can be dealt with.

The motion seeks to refer the issue of the diversion of heavy vehicles along River Road and Strathalbyn Road to the Environment, Resources and Development Committee so that it can receive the scrutiny it deserves. It requests that the committee considers the consultation and decision-making processes that led to the decision to divert traffic along River Road and Strathalbyn Road; the impacts of the diversion on local amenity, community safety and the environment; the impacts of the diversion on traffic in Hahndorf, Mount Barker and other Adelaide Hills communities; and alternative solutions for freight transport through the Adelaide Hills.

I hope that this inquiry will shine a light on the inadequate lack of transport infrastructure in the Adelaide Hills, particularly in Mount Barker and Hahndorf. The people of the Adelaide Hills certainly deserve better. I commend the motion.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter.