CITY of Cockburn councillors have voted to remove on-street parking bays along Lyon Road in Atwell in a bid to improve pedestrian safety for Harvest Lakes Shopping Centre patrons.
During Thursday’s ordinary council meeting, councillors voted in favour of removing two of the 12 parking bays and install two bus stops and a zebra crossing to improve pedestrian safety and traffic congestion on Lyon Road between Gibbs Road and Flourish Loop.
Councillors also voted to install 30-minute parking limits to Lyon Road’s remaining on-street bays and reduce the posted speed limit to 30km/h, subject to approval from Main Roads.
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READ NOWHarvest Lakes Residents Association president Robert Kellar said it had taken three years of work to reach this point.
“Through extensive consultation with residents and business owners many alternatives have been explored before arriving at the current proposal, which provides a win-win solution for all concerned,” he said.
“The council’s unanimous vote to approve the recommendation was an endorsement of all the consultative effort which preceded it and my reaction was one of intense satisfaction.
“A zebra crossing, with pedestrian priority, will ensure pedestrian safety and a 30km speed limit will alert drivers to the need for care.
“Eliminating one parking bay on each side of the road to accommodate a requested bus stop will not impact businesses because the remaining 10 bays will be restricted to 30 minute parking, excluding some of the current users and abusers who park there for significantly longer times.”
Charles Rundle, asset manager for Harvest Lakes Shopping Centre owners RG Property, said they had strongly objected to the removal of parking bays and the installation of the zebra crossing.
“The Centre’s position is that the best solution for all stakeholders is the shared 30km/h zone, which provides the best safety solution for pedestrians and supports local businesses,” he said.
“This solution works in Claremont; it works in Leederville and it works in Northbridge and many other places. It will work on Lyon Road as well.”
He said the Road Traffic Code 2000, which stated a vehicle could not stop within 20m of the approach side and 10m of the departure side of a pedestrian crossing, meant the bus stops and zebra crossing could not co-exist in the space as proposed.
“The proposal in front of council does not comply with the Traffic Code and therefore, even if voted for, could not be implemented,” he said.
“The zebra crossing would mean both the loss of the bus stops and the loss of parking.”