Diversion to get second trial run

For two weeks in December, City of Cockburn diverted traffic leaving the train station carpark on Knock Place during afternoon peak periods.

A temporary barrier was installed to ensure cars leaving Knock Place could only turn left on to Solomon Road.

The goal was to guide motorists through to the traffic lights at the Armadale Road and Verde Drive intersection via Solomon Road.

On Thursday, councillors voted to run the trial again from the start of March to the end of October.

The City is also planning to address feedback from business owners and commuters about improvements to nearby roads, including re-phasing the lights at Armadale and Tapper Road.

The design and cost estimates involved with completing Verde Drive from the intersection with Biscayne Way through to Solomon Road will also be completed.

Local business owners were less than thrilled with the experiment’s first run.

Of the five businesses that responded to the post trial survey, all said their travel time went up during the trial and they did not support the diversion becoming permanent in the future.

“All the diversion did was place extra strain on the roundabout in front of Officeworks and the traffic lights, which unfortunately cannot cope with the amount of traffic,” one business owner wrote.

Business respondents made up just 3 per cent of people offering feedback on the trial and general motorists were much more optimistic.

Of the 157 general commuters, 76 per cent said it cut delays and 67 per cent supported the diversion becoming permanent.

A report to councillors said the trial was successful at reducing delays for motorists exiting Knock Place but did create problems elsewhere on the network.