VIDEO: Councillor’s guided tour of ‘disgraceful’ road

"It’s drawn a lot of criticism from residents and it’s going to be like it forever more unless council does some maintenance work to rectify the problem"

DRIVING across the intersection of Cameron and Jubilee Sts in Maclean, you quickly run out of fingers counting the bumps in the cabin.

And Cr Jim Simmons hasn't even started up the hill yet.

Last month, Cr Simmons decided to vote against the monthly works report at the council meeting, citing the poor state of the road at the intersection.

>> RELATED: 'Appalling' state of intersection stirs up Simmons

And while the action may only be recorded as one line in the council minutes, it is all he says he can do.

"It's reached the stage where my frustration with council makes this the only option," he says.

Cr Jim Simmons looks over one of the sections of road on the corner of Jubilee Street and Cameron St. Frustrated at the lack of action by council to fix the road despite years of complaints, Mr Simmons says he will vote against the Works report at monthly council meetings until something is done. Picture: Adam Hourigan

This week, he took Coastal Views' Adam Hourigan for a drive across the intersection and he points down at the road surface approaching the turn.

"You can see the damaged section is extending well out into the main section," he says.

"It's been like that for a long, long time."

More bumps, in short staccato sections as the cabin of the ute rattles up the hill.

"You come up Hillcrest, and cars get shaken here, and it's just as bad at the top," he says.

"I'm not so concerned about the top, I'm more concerned about the bottom - hoping that council does something about it."

He turns around at the top, taking a wide line at the Hillcrest corner to avoid another "rattly" section, and starts back down the hill.

"At the council meeting I virtually didn't know what else I could do, but as a matter of principle vote against the works report because I've had enough of it," he says.

Tearsheet of Council minutes showing Jim Simmons voting against the Works Report. Picture: Charlie Latham

"People in Maclean have brought it up at previous community meetings when council have presented their annual plan of management. It's drawn a lot of criticism from the residents here, and it's going to be like it forever more unless council does some maintenance work to rectify the problem."

He slows at the bottom of the intersection, and points again down at the surface, a myriad of patches and bumps in the road.

"It's an absolute disgrace, it's coming right out here into this intersection," he says.

"And it won't get any better unless council do something about it in the near future."

Mayor Richie Williamson last week said council could not afford to make the repairs on a section of road that would be made redundant once the highway upgrade went through.

However this week, a Roads and Maritime Services spokesperson said the new highway would connect to the existing road at Cameron St and the intersection would not be part of the highway upgrade plan.

"Upgrade work to build the Maclean interchange will include a connection to Cameron St. This work will extend to the project boundary, located at the intersection of Goodwood St and Cameron St," the RMS spokesperson said.

BUMPY RIDE: Cr Jim Simmons drives through the intersection at Jubilee and Cameron Street in Maclean. Picture: Adam Hourigan

Cr Simmons stops his car, and walks across the road, each step finding a new corrugation in the road.

And as each car carefully crosses the corner, some let out a beep and a wave of recognition.

"Good on you Jim!" they yell. "Keep on at them!"

It seems word of Jim's single line of protest is spreading.

Originally published as VIDEO: Councillor’s guided tour of ‘disgraceful’ road