AN ARTICLE in the October edition of The Toodyay Herald stated in relation to Toodyay Road funding “the major justification for spending more than $100 million is the supposed benefits that accrue from allowing traffic to travel at 110km/h”.
As Chair of Toodyay RoadWise Committee and having been involved since 2015 in community-based advocacy for improving traffic safety on Toodyay Road I wish to respond with some clarifying facts.
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The State Government conducted a comprehensive road safety audit on a 40km stretch of Toodyay Road from near Noble Falls to Toodyay in 2014.
This followed pressure from the Toodyay RoadWise Committee and residents, backed by local WA Nationals MP Shane Love and the Shire of Toodyay.
The Main Roads WA audit of Toodyay Road safety showed four people had died as a result of six head-on crashes in the previous five years.
The same period showed 45 “run off road” crashes, with 15 listed as being of “hospital severity”.
Fifteen crashes were listed as “hit tree”.
The audit showed that “run off road” and “head-on” crashes were priorities that needed to be addressed.
The State Government responded soon after in 2014 by reducing the main Toodyay Road speed limit from 110km/h to l00km/h, and to 90km/h for the final 10km stretch between Lovers Lane and the Toodyay townsite.
Main Roads WA has given no indication that the speed limit will return to 110km/h after the planned upgrades are completed.
The audit also revealed traffic safety deficiencies at every Toodyay Road intersection within the Shire of Toodyay.
The State Government is responsible for maintaining Toodyay Road and has listed the intersections for future upgrades.
To assert that the “major justification” for money being spent on Toodyay Road to make it safer is “allowing traffic to travel at 110km/h” is clearly incorrect.
Bob Neville
Chairperson, Toodyay Roadwise Committee
