Motorcyclist killed in crash on Torrens Valley Rd in Birdwood – after years of complaints by locals

A motorcyclist has died in a crash on an Adelaide Hills road that locals have complained about for years, asking for the speed limit to be cut.

A man has died in a motorcycle crash on a stretch of road at Birdwood, that locals have complained to council and the state government for years.

The 74-year-old Salisbury North man was killed when he came off his bike about 11.30am on Wednesday.

Torrens Valley Rd was closed between Cranes Rd and Randell Rd while major crash investigators examined the scene, but has been reopened to all traffic.

The man’s death is the 68th life lost on SA roads this year, compared with 61 at the same time last year.

Birdwood residents have been calling for a major upgrade of Torrens Valley Rd after years of serious crashes along the busy Hills thoroughfare.

There have been 131 vehicle crashes between 2015 and 2019, equating to around one serious accident every 11 days, on the stretch of road.

A farmer on Torrens Valley Rd said it appeared the motorcyclist had crashed into the guardrail.

A motorcyclist died in this crash on the notorious Torrens Valley Rd near Birdwood on Wednesday. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Adelaide Hills councillor Malcolm Hermann said the council received a petition in February from nearly 50 Birdwood residents to lower the 100km/h speed limit of the 3km stretch from Birdwood to the Randell Rd junction to 80 km/h.

Mr Herman said the council wrote to the state government asking for the speed limit drop.

“But on the advice from the Department for Infrastructure and Transport it was declined,” Mr Hermann said.

“Clearly they’re reluctant to do anything, it shouldn't take a death to get these things fixed.

“We had a similar situation with the nearby intersection of Martin Hill, Warren and Lucky Hit Road, where council lobbied on behalf of locals for a stop sign and it wasn’t until they had a death there that it received $572,000 of black-spot funding.”

Birdwood resident Arthur Tucker led the petition for the Torrens Valley Rd speed reduction and approached local MP John Gardner.

Arthur Tucker want the speed on a dangerous section of Torrens Valley Road reduced to 80k. Picture: Emma Brasier

“Mr Gardner passed it on to Corey Wingard, but like the council I was declined, they were trying to say that because Randall Rd is 100km/h they see no reason in changing it,” Mr Tucker said.

“This road is an accident waiting to happen, it should only be 80km/h, it’s sad to hear that it has (happened).”

“The road surface just isn’t good enough and there are 14 bends on the 100km/h section with 65km/h recommended turning speeds.”

Mr Tucker said school buses regularly stop on the 100km/h stretch of Torrens Valley Rd and children often have to cross the road.