Lane Cove Traffic and Parking Issues Update including Changes to the Lane Cove Traffic Committee

We have put together an update on some of the notorious accident hot spots and some traffic and parking news after February’s Lane Cove Council meeting.

Lane Cove Traffic Committee

The Lane Cove Traffic Committee advises Lane Cove Council on traffic and parking control matters for which Council has been delegated authority from Transport for NSW (TfNSW). The Committee makes recommendations, and those recommendations are then tabled at a Lane Cove Council meeting for Council to either endorse, reject or ask for more information.

The Traffic Committee comprises the following permanent members:

  • One representative of Lane Cove Council
  • One representative of the NSW Police
  • One representative of TfNSW
  • One person representing the state Member of Parliament

The Traffic Committee can have other members such as rangers, traffic engineers, road safety officers and other council staff.

Until a few years ago, a Lane Cove Councillor sat on the Committee. However, Lane Cove Council decided as it was a technical committee and, therefore, a councillor should not be a committee member.

At February’s Lane Cove Council Meeting, it was resolved that a councillor should be a committee member. Councillor Kathy Bryla was appointed to the Traffic Committee.

In other LGA’s (for example, Willoughby City Council), members of the public can attend a Traffic Committee Meeting and provide their comments on the agenda items.

Lane Cove Council also voted to allow residents to speak at the Traffic Committee on agenda items. The Traffic Committee must publish an agenda seven days before a meeting.

This resolution will go a long way towards addressing some of the common criticisms that occur when local traffic and parking changes are made.

ITC is frequently contacted by concerned residents who only find out about changes when a new sign is installed, or new line markings appear on the road. Ideally, residents should be consulted before local traffic or parking changes are made. However, notification of the changes are usually letterbox dropped, and not all residents check their letterbox regularly, or the notification area is too small.

By making the process more transparent and allowing public participation, local residents will be able to voice their concerns as soon as they are aware of changes.

One issue that remains unclear is how do residents alert the Lane Cove Traffic Committee to unsafe or dangerous parking or traffic conditions? There needs to be a better mechanism for locals to raise these issues.

428 – 432 Mowbray Road Lane Cove North (“old Caltex Service Station)

Accident in 2021

It’s a rainy week, and unfortunately, there will be accidents at this notorious bend on Mowbray Road where the old Caltex Service Station used to be (now a vacant block).

In the Cove is over nine years old, and since we have been around, we have been constantly alerted to accidents on this bend.

Local residents have been raising awareness of this issue for years.

In November 2021, ITC asked Lane Cove Council for information on how they were going to make this bend safer.

A Lane Cove Council spokesperson advised ITC the following:

“Council successfully applied for Black Spot funding for remedial works to be undertaken at this bend in Mowbray Road. We have engaged a consultant to develop a design and specification. Once these are complete Council will go out to tender for the works.

I trust this assists in confirming that there are further works to be completed.”

In January 2022, we asked the Lane Cove Council if there had been any progress on the remedial works and we were advised as follows:

“In addition to undertaking a redesign of the bend on Mowbray Road between Roslyn and Ralston Streets under the NSW Government’s Safer Roads Program, Council is currently organising the installation of a white edge line around the bend as an interim solution. The white edge line will be like a parking lane and will guide vehicles away from the camber of the road. Hopefully, this line marking will be installed in late March/early April, if not sooner. ”

Mowbray Road falls within two council areas. The Mowbray Public School side is Willoughby Council, and they recently resurfaced the road adjacent to 457 Mowbray Road.   Read more about this issue here.

Corner of River Road and Bridge Street Lane Cove

Accident Before the Road Was Upgraded by LCC

This corner used to be a notorious accident spot. Residents and ITC campaigned for urgent roadworks to reduce the number of accidents on this road. Read more here.

Works were undertaken, and accidents were less frequent due to the anti-skid resurfacing and other improvement measures undertaken by Lane Cove Council.

Unfortunately, in the last couple of months, accidents have increased.

ITC wrote to the Lane Cove Council and asked if there were any plans to reapply the anti-skid surface, which may have deteriorated.

A Lane Cove Council spokesperson told us the following:

“The non-slip surface does deteriorate, so staff are arranging a grip test to see if the slip resistance can be improved as well as providing additional signage where appropriate. Council will also undertake an assessment of the crashes at this intersection and if eligible, nominate the site as a blackspot under the 2022/2023 Safer Roads Program. As part of this assessment, Council will investigate if a more permanent arrangement can be implemented.”

The Canopy Roundabout and Traffic Issues Due to Trucks Getting Stuck on the Roundabout

Truck stuck in 2021

You will have seen traffic warnings on our Facebook page when a truck is stuck on The Canopy roundabout and traffic must be diverted. ITC asked Lane Cove Council if there were any plans to fix up this issue.

A Lane Cove Council spokesperson told us the following:

“We are not aware of the recurrence of this issue in recent months and, as it is non-standard to install signage at a roundabout restricting truck access, we are not proposing any signage at this point.”

Traffic Lights at Burns Bay Road and Tambourine Bay Road

Vehicles cannot turn right into Burns Bay Road from Tambourine Bay Road (if coming from Riverview).   This restriction created a problem for buses that were forced to navigate two tight roundabouts (the roundabout at Coxs Lane and Finlayson Street and the Canopy Roundabout). A ‘Buses Excepted’ sign has been installed, which permits buses to perform a right turn from Tambourine Bay Road into Burns Bay Road.

Parking Restrictions Around Lane Cove West School

At February’s Lane Cove Council Meeting, several Lane Cove West residents spoke to the Council about the impact of the Lane Cove Traffic Committee’s recommendations for no stopping signs to be installed in streets close to the Lane Cove West Public School.

It was noted residents would not be able to park in their street, and parents (particularly parents of Kindy – 2 who usually park and pick up kids) would struggle to find a place to park.

The Lane Cove Council did not endorse the Traffic Committee’s recommendations on the No Stopping signs but did endorse changes to Banksia Close/Cullen Street/Hallam Street intersection. Lane Cove Council will undertake a detailed design to realign the Banksia Close/Cullen Street/Hallam Street Intersection.

Roadworks

Residents who live near the following streets can expect new line markings very soon. Lane Cove Council was to undertake line marking works from Monday 21 February over one week.

However, this will take place later in February or early March due to rainy weather.

  • Parklands Avenue between Epping Road and Nundah Street
  • Landers Road between Parklands Avenue and Coxs Lane
  • Parklands Avenue and Nundah Street Intersection
  • Parklands Avenue near the Kyong Street cul-de-sac
  • Corner of Kullah Parade near Mindarie Park
  • Osborne Avenue near the Pacific Highway and Osborne Avenue Intersection
  • Osborne Avenue and First Avenue Intersection
  • Osborne Avenue and Ronald Avenue Intersection
  • Ronald Avenue between Osborne Avenue and Panorama Road
  • Victoria Street and Prospect Street Intersection
  • Parking Bays at Wardrop Street
  • Longueville Road between Austin Street and Dorritt Street
  • Mowbray Road W between Roslyn Street and Ralston Street

All works will be conducted at night (7:00 pm – 5:00 am) to minimise the impact to traffic and parking; however, as these works involve painting and no heavy construction machinery, there is usually minimal disruption to residents with only short periods spent completing line marking in each of the locations.

Is there another Lane Cove traffic, parking or roadwork issue you would like followed up on or some more information on – email [email protected] and let us know.

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