FIRE crews from Butler and Wangara could be called to attend emergencies if Joondalup Fire and Rescue Service vehicles cannot get out during peak hour traffic following a right-turn road closure.
Residents contacted the Times with concerns trucks could face crossing four lanes of traffic and doing a sharp u-turn when leaving the station on Drovers Place to respond to emergencies.
Main Roads has provided a turning point for emergency vehicles on Joondalup Drive after permanently closing right turns at the Drovers Place junction on Monday.
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Media manager Dean Roberts said emergency vehicles were still able to make right turn movements using their flashing lights or sirens.
However residents said the layout could delay emergency vehicles and potentially risk lives and properties.
“They have to swing right around and cut across both lanes,” Carramar resident Lesley Stillman said.
Mrs Stillman said fire trucks could turn left and navigate around the Burns Beach Road roundabout instead, but the lanes could be “chocker block” at peak hour and cars had nowhere to move out of their way because of the road work barriers.
Department of Fire and Emergency Services north coastal metropolitan Superintendent Timothy McGrade said DFES had been liaising with Main Roads regarding the road works.
“Vehicles called out to an incident have alternative access to a slip road 50m from the station and to a roundabout 600m from the station,” he said.
“Joondalup Fire and Rescue Service makes decisions based on the time of day of an emergency call, and the urgency of the call, in determining the best travel route.
“If an emergency occurs during peak hour times, contingencies are in place for neighbouring fire and rescue service brigades, including Butler and Wangara, to attend if required.”
Tapping resident Barry McEloney said the emergency turn did not cater for ambulances, which would have to continue to the temporary roundabout on Wanneroo Road and zig-zag back to get into Drovers Place, where a retirement village is located.
Supt McGrade reminded motorists to slow down and move over for emergency service vehicles.
“If an emergency vehicle has blue or red flashing lights and/or is sounding an alarm, you MUST clear the way to let it easily pass,” he said.
“When an emergency vehicle is approaching stay calm and check to see where it is; give way to it by moving as far to the left of the road as possible.
“If you can’t move left, slow down, indicate left and let the emergency vehicle drive around you; use your indicator to signal your intentions to the driver of the emergency vehicle.
“If you are in the left lane, allow other vehicles from an adjacent lane to move into your lane if required.”
Mrs Stillman, who is a community representative on the construction reference group, said when concerns were raised previously, they were assured “safety won’t be compromised”.
Mr Roberts said right turn movements at both Drovers Place and St Stephens Crescent were already dangerous prior to the closure.
“Maintaining right turn access during the closure period and following the removal of the traffic signals at the Wanneroo Road and Joondalup Drive intersection would heighten this risk,” he said.
Mr McEloney said the roundabout at Cheriton Drive-Joondalup Drive and traffic signals at Clarkson Avenue-Wanneroo Road should have been put in before the main signals were replaced with the temporary roundabout.
Although the reference group was told in October the those intersections were likely to be done in early 2019, Mr Roberts told the Times both intersections would be completed by the end of the interchange project in mid-2020.
