YOUR SAY: Residents support mayor Geoff McDonald’s proposed trial to turn off new East Toowoomba traffic lights outside school hours

YOUR SAY: Toowoomba residents have weighed into an unusual plan to turn off the city’s newest set of traffic lights 20 hours out of a day, with many slamming the $1.7m project’s existence in the first place.

Mayor Geoff McDonald’s plan to turn off Toowoomba’s newest traffic lights 20 hours a day has earnt plenty of support from residents, despite some calling the proposed trial the “silliest suggestion” they’d ever heard.

The newly-installed signals on Margaret and Mackenzie streets in East Toowoomba have been a subject of criticism by motorists since they were turned on in February.

A new report presented to the council this week revealed neighbouring Curzon St has been used to bypass the intersection, much to the anger of homeowners along the local road.

The $1.7m traffic lights were partially funded by the federal government’s Black Spot program, following evidence of multiple crashes or near-misses at the staggered-T intersection.

A new set of lights on Margaret St has caused motorists confusion and residents inconvenience.

The matter came to a head during Tuesday’s council committee meetings, where elected officials discussed upgrades to Curzon St to make it less desirable as a thoroughfare.

Mr McDonald suggested a short trial of turning the Mackenzie-Margaret lights on only during the peak school hours of 7-9am and 2-4pm (four out of 24 hours in a day), asking infrastructure general manager Mike Brady to determine by next week’s ordinary meeting whether it could be done.

Mr Brady said a week would be too short a time span to bring a report back to council, while noting he was sceptical of the perceived benefits of the mayor’s plan.

A non-scientific poll of The Chronicle readers has revealed the overwhelming majority support the trial going ahead.

Many residents want to see the entire intersection revert to what it was before.

Here is what you said:

Get rid of the lights

Todd

Installing the traffic lights was completely unnecessary, and a poor idea to begin with. There is risk associated with everything in life, and trying to eliminate it simply creates more problems. Admit it was a failure (clearly, because it simply moved traffic elsewhere) and remove them. Trying to solve the problems it created by putting in even more restrictions is stupidity writ large.

Judy

These lights are a nightmare. The intersection was easier to use before they were installed. It was a debacle from start to finish, with the unforgivable loss of an important tree in the most important avenue of trees in Toowoomba.

Jules

Why were those lights installed anyway? They’re confusing and unnecessary. We’ve been driving down Margaret for many years without needing them!

Potential fixes suggested

Shaun

The intersection would function better by not allowing Right hand turns during peak time. This would mean the signals would run on a 2 phase (2 street) programming and higher traffic flow.

Aussie Veteran

Another option is to turn the range end of Margaret St into one-way traffic heading West from Lindsey St and use Herries St as the return one-way back to Herries St. Putting any form of vehicle mediation on Curzon St as proposed would push the rat-race further into the suburbs.

JJ

Most traffic lights are unnecessary and are installed by governments because bureaucrats run out of things to do. Roundabouts are proven worldwide to be better for traffic flow.

If we must have lights, we should trial turning left at any time with care on a red light like they do in the US (they turn right any time on a red light), and replacing red arrows with flashing yellow ones to allow people to turn right at any time with care.

Trial is a ‘silly suggestion’

Kelvin

The Council’s proposal to trial turning off the new Traffic Lights at the corner of Margaret Street and McKenzie Street for certain periods each day is probably the silliest suggestion I have ever heard on any subject – ever! Surely common sense will prevail.

Council slammed over ‘debacle’

Mick

There’s no consequences at TRC. Do as you please with others money and if you stuff up just spend more and get celebrated for it. Spend, fail, give excuses, blame others, spend more, control the narrative, collect a payrise, Repeat.

Anthony

What an absolute complete debacle. The only solution to this council created mess is to remove the stupid lights.

Originally published as YOUR SAY: Residents support mayor Geoff McDonald’s proposed trial to turn off new East Toowoomba traffic lights outside school hours