A POLITICAL tussle has broken out over a busy Cleveland roundabout after Transport Minister Mark Bailey said there was no need for an upgrade of the Shore Street West and Wellington Street intersection.
Federal MP Andrew Laming said he would return a promised $3.5 million to Canberra, while Oodgeroo MP Mark Robinson said Mr Bailey was playing political games with road safety.
Mr Bailey said in response to a question asked by Mr Robinson in Parliament that the Transport Department had investigated upgrading the intersection in 2015.
“The study found that the roundabout is currently adequate and, based on the road safety record at this location, the study did not recommend upgrading to a signalised intersection at this time,” he said.
But Mr Robinson said the Bligh government assessed the intersection as unsafe, inadequate and in need of an urgent upgrade in 2008.
He said they conducted a business case, completed designs, consulted locals and budgeted for construction.
“If the intersection needed upgrading in 2008, how can the minister argue that it doesn’t need it now, when today there are thousands more cars that cross it?” he said.
“Today instead of getting on with signalising the intersection the minister claims a secret study suddenly shows the intersection is adequate and doesn’t need funding.”
The disagreement comes just days after an early morning crash between a Thornlands cyclist and a vehicle that left a 49-year-old woman with a suspected fractured collar bone.
In his question Mr Robinson asked whether the government would match the LNP’s $5 million election promise to put traffic lights at the intersection and use the money promised by Mr Laming.
The election announcement – made in front of Cleveland aged care residents – was that a re-elected Turnbull government would fix the roundabout.
Mr Laming said at the time the money would buy lights for the intersection, turning lanes and safe pedestrian crossings.
This week, Mr Laming said he would withdraw the money.
“The federal government fully funded that roundabout upgrade in 2016 but state Labor flat out refuse to fix it, so the money will be returned to Canberra,” Mr Laming said.
Mr Robinson said no one wanted the government’s hand to be forced into action by a serious injury or death.
“Despite waves of worried locals voicing their concerns at the intersection’s safety, this Labor government has its head in the sand refusing to admit anything’s wrong,” he said.
“The roundabout has been the subject of regular complaints from seniors who lived in aged care facilities nearby and Cleveland District State High School families because there is no safe place to ride bicycles or walk across the intersection.”
Mr Robinson said he had also pushed for a reduced speed limit on Shore Street West heading downhill towards the intersection.
A basic upgrade could have been done with the $3.5 million or more extensive work with that money and $5 million from state government, as promised during the election campaign by the LNP.
Calls for the roundabout to be changed to traffic lights started soon after it was built in 1988.
In 2012 then transport minister Scott Emerson announced a review of the roundabout after Mr Robinson tabled a 300-signature petition.
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