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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-02-22 Daily Xml
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WILLASTON, REDBANKS AND MAIN NORTH ROADS

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (15:08): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Industrial Relations, representing the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, a question about the intersection of Redbanks and Main North Roads at Willaston.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: The intersection of Redbanks and Main North Roads at Willaston is a Y-shaped intersection which has long been a concern and cause of frustration for local residents of Willaston and Gawler and beyond. In recent years, it has seen increasing delays and many accidents. Unfortunately, I can remember at least two fatal accidents there in recent times.

In 2008, the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure, in its Main North Road/Adelaide Road—Gawler, Final Draft Road Management Plan, suggested that the increased traffic flow from the Northern Expressway would further exacerbate the delays, congestion and potential danger. It suggested the installation of a roundabout would provide the best solution.

The Town of Gawler has also indicated its support for a roundabout at this busy intersection, with its significant potential for accidents. I should also inform the council that $110,000 of funding for a roundabout, with improved lighting, at this site was promised by the Rann government in 2002, via a $3.5 million road safety program.

On 26 September 2003, the then transport minister, Michael Wright, issued a self-congratulatory press release, in which he promised this project would be delivered 'this financial year' (that was 2003) and rather ironically boasted, 'This program is just one of the ways we are putting words into action.'

Given that it is now nine years after the initial promise, eight years after the minister's self-congratulations, three years after the department endorsed the project and five months after NExy opened, I ask the following questions:

1. Will the Rann government commit to building this roundabout at Willaston this year?

2. If so, will the government ensure that the design work takes into account the increased congestion at the Y junction since the opening of NExy and the resultant individual traffic diversions through neighbouring streets that have resulted?

3. What happened to the initial $110,000 quarantined for this project?

4. How much will the project cost, in current terms?

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for Gambling) (15:12): I will refer those questions to my colleague in another place, the Minister for Transport, and bring back a response. I would remind the honourable member that there is considerable funding by the state government and, indeed, federal and local government for roads and that there are the Black Spot programs, which apply at the federal and state level, to which local governments can apply for funding for particular projects they believe are of significant—

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins interjecting:

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN: Well, the Black Spot Program does fund state projects as well as local government projects. However, I am obviously not aware of the detail, and I will seek information about that.

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