By Casey Neill
A solution to rat-running on Hallam’s Cheshunt Drive could be two and a half years away.
City of Casey councillors deferred a report on the issue at their Tuesday 15 May meeting, following concerns from residents that a proposal for two speed humps wouldn’t solve the problem.
“Two speed humps as a deterrent does not address the problem as they are bypassing three speed humps by cutting through our street,” Phillip Romari said.
“It only addresses the speed, not the numbers.”
Mr Romari said drivers were using Cheshunt Drive as an alternative route to access Hallam South Road.
A council report acknowledged “some vehicle transference from Hinrichsen Drive to Cheshunt Drive, particularly at peak travel times” following installation of nine flat-top speed bumps in Hinrichsen Drive in 2015-‘16.
Figures show daily traffic levels increased from 362 cars in March 2014 to 769 in May 2016 and 1155 by November last year.
At its 20 March meeting, the council resolved to organise an on-site meeting with residents that took place on 24 April.
The 15 May report said they discussed “various traffic management options” and “concluded that the flat top humps similar to the one installed in Hinrichsen Drive is a suitable option”.
It proposed progressing with design investigations and subsequent community consultation.
But Mr Romari opposed the move.
“I didn’t agree with it last time, that is why I called a street meeting and in the street meeting nobody agreed with them,” he said.
“So why allow a street meeting to happen if nobody is going to listen?”
Cr Smith’s response was to put the issue “on hold for now”.
“My concern with that is the project will take longer as we’ll have to come up with a lot more funding which would happen over two or three or more budgets,” he said.
“Damien and I have managed to manoeuvre things in the budget to hopefully get this done in one year rather than the two and half or more years it will take to get different treatments.”
