Dunbogan parents ‘disappointed and confused’ by response to road safety concerns

THE parents of “little” Longworth Road in Dunbogan say they are “disappointed” and “confused” at Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s response to their traffic concerns.

As reported in News Of The Area on 6 April, GPS systems have been sending trucks, caravans and even semi-trailers down their narrow cul-de-sac.

When drivers realise it is not a through road, they hit reverse or perform multi-point U-turns to get out, posing a risk to around 16 schoolchildren who walk the laneway or wait at the end for the school bus.

Council reassured residents in April that a “No Through Road” sign was on order.

Three and a half months later, the sign was installed – but in the wrong spot.

“We are disappointed with how long the signage has taken, and we are all a little confused with the signage,” resident Chantelle Hison told NOTA.

“People will already be on the lane before they see the No Through Road sign.”

Longworth Road is split in two, with bushland separating the cul-de-sac end (little Longworth) from the longer section leading to the Dunbogan Caravan Park.

Little Longworth is accessed via two unnamed lanes without marked speed limits.

The sign was installed about 100m down these lanes, without consultation with residents, instead of on The Boulevarde.

“There is no way that any vehicle can see the new sign from The Boulevarde,” Dunbogan local Bruce de Graaf said.

“They will only be aware of it once they have entered.

“Motorists would simply drive past it and realise that they are trapped in a cul-de-sac and must turn around.”

While he does not live on the road, Mr de Graaf has spoken to drivers who have been caught out by their vehicle’s navigation systems.

“[A] glass and door supplier from Taree was late arriving to unload a quantity of new windows and doors and apologised saying that his GPS had sent him down the other side of Longworth Road and he had to turn his eight tonne truck around and keep going.”

Ms Hison, who was speaking on behalf of “the parents of little Longworth Road”, said they would ultimately like to see a “Kids Playing Here” sign.

“Or something along those lines, as we live in such a special and unique street where the kids play every day.”

A spokesperson for Council told NOTA that an additional custom street number sign “will be installed before the end of August”.

By Sue STEPHENSON