Residents call for greater protection in Hocking

Moscow Retreat resident Bronwyn Taylor, who collected more than 100 signatures in less than a week, told the council at its October 13 meeting more was needed to improve safety between East and Nicholas roads.

“Currently there is rented fencing along the area that is in dispute but once the road works are completed this will be removed,” Ms Taylor said.

“We believe that planting of trees is not effective… trees do not create a safety barrier between high volumes of traffic and residents and I’ve also been advised that planting will not commence until winter.

“The residents’ biggest concern is the lack of physical barrier for safety means not the noise… (we) are asking the City of Wanneroo to have a look at it from a real and personal point of view, to vote with their conscience and agree to put in a barrier that the residents want.”

She told the Times while noise reduction and privacy were also issues the “big ticket item” for residents was protection of children and pets.

“We’re a young community and they could turn around and say ‘well, it’s parental responsibility’ and ultimately it is, but at the end of the day things happen quickly and it’s not bad parents that unfortunate things can happen to,” she said.

“Clearly it’s been identified as a high traffic area. There are now buses going down, there’s heavy vehicles, there’s a lot of trucks, emergency services are using it and at 70km/h kids are not going to stand a chance.

“Dogs and cats can also get out and again you have to be responsible for your pet and you don’t stand much of a chance when you’re 10 metres away from a big main road.”

Assets director Harminder Singh said the council had asked the City administration to prepare a report on the issues included in Ms Taylor’s petition.

“Construction of the Lenore Road (East Road to High Road) project is close to the halfway mark and vehicles are now using a section of the new road,” he said.

“The East Wanneroo – Pearsall/Hocking Structure Plan identified Lenore Road as a future dual carriageway and that is now being implemented in stages based on current and projected traffic volumes.

“The construction of a new two lane single carriageway is ahead of schedule and it is expected to be finished by June 2016.”