School bus stop shelter at Gum Flat Lane/ Birriwa Road intersection – no dice

Local residents and the Bywong Community Association met with council Traffic Management Committee on Monday 16 November to try to negotiate to have a local bus shelter sited where the bus currently stops at the Gum Flat Lane/ Birriwa Road intersection, rather than halfway up Birriwa Road, as preferred by the committee.

 Unfortunately, the bus shelter is going to go half-way up Birriwa Road, despite the fact that parents strongly indicated that this does not provide a proper safety solution.

Residents outlined some of the safety issues for the Macs Reef Road, and the committee indicated that nothing could be done – no improvements such as removing foliage/ trees, putting in mirrors for traffic pulling onto Macs Reef, moving the bus stop on Birriwa closer to the current stop Road, no reduced speed limit (you have one already- RTA) or any concession at all. We were told that we would have to change to suit local traffic increases and that this was as a result of our choice of lifestyle.

There were seven (7) in attendance from the committee including Terry Brandson, Howard Crozier, Jim McLachlan, police, RTA, Bill Ellison and Ken Bromley from council. Also, Shane from Deanes Buses attended.

The upshot is that if the community had not applied for funds for the bus shelter ($10,000), the bus stop would not have been “audited” and would have stayed where it was i.e more convenient, if still not safe for children.

 Councillor Goonan has responded to this decision by requesting that council consider putting the shelter in Birriwa Road on a temporary basis until a more satisfactory location can be agreed by all. This proposal is going to the next Council meeting on 3 December.