VINCENT Mayor John Carey has criticised Main Roads WA for what he calls the City’s “constant struggle” to improve safety on the roads.
Mr Carey said the latest disappointment was Main Roads’ attitude to the City’s proposed trial of a 40km/h speed limit in the residential area bordered by Charles, Vincent, Beaufort and Walcott streets, Guildford Road, and Standley and Mitchell streets.
Main Roads says the City is responsible for all aspects of the trial including funding.
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READ NOW“We are doing three intersections in this year’s budget: William and Bulwer, Fitzgerald and Vincent, and Loftus and Bourke streets,” Mr Carey said.
“For us to put in a green man light crossing is costs significant money.
“We are spending $450,000 on those three sets. Main Roads is contributing nothing,”
“This is not local government infrastructure, but if we want action on these things we have to pay for it.”
A Main Roads spokeswoman said the organisation “has supported Council’s initiatives on proven safety measures for all road users”.
The spokeswoman said it had funded several safety measures in Vincent in recent years, including the variable electronic 40km/h speed zone on Beaufort Street, 40km/h speed zone on Fitzgerald Street and cycle facilities on Bulwer Street, Scarborough Beach Road and Oxford Street.
The Mayor, who is also the Labor candidate for the State seat of Perth, said Main Roads’ “rigid” approach exhausted the City’s “time and energy”.
“If you want to do anything to try to slow traffic down or make areas pedestrian-friendly you get put through the ringer.”