‘Heavens sake’ Gold Coast graveyard detour stopped after near miss

A GOLD Coast pastor has been forced to close the heavenly gates outside his 150-year-old church due to a trying issue facing so many northern residents.

A GOLD Coast pastor has closed the heavenly gates outside his 150-year-old church to stop rat-run commuters using it to avoid M1 gridlock.

Trevor Mildren padlocked the main gate at the Pimpama Uniting Church in Creek Street after a series of near misses from frustrated drivers.

Motorists tired of crawling 150 metres in 23 minutes at congested roundabouts and arterials were zipping through the church cemetery to beat the peak-hour rush.

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Traffic woes has forced the Pimpama Uniting Church to lock its front gates after its grave yard was used repeatedly as a rat run. Pastor Trevor Mildren. Picture: Jerad Williams

“We have had two near misses. One was a child who was just missed so I thought enough was enough, we had to do something,” Pastor Mildren said.

“Cutting minutes off a journey is not worth someone getting hurt.”

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Exit 45 at Pimpama has become a nightmare for drivers. The Bulletin last week revealed more than half the traffic at the clogged interchange comprised locals trying to get to shops, work and children to school.

The Pimpama Uniting Church rat run off the Pacific Motorway.

Previous stories showed a round-trip school drop-off was taking parents well over an hour.

Pastor Mildren said about two dozen speeding rat runners were using the church every afternoon to shave time off their trip.

“We have a few schools in the area and train stations, so after school they come down the hill from the overpass to avoid the first roundabout on to Creek St,” said Pastor Mildren, who has lived at Pimpama for more than 40 years.

“Cars have come flying across and cut through the cemetery.

It’s a horror run in the area.

“The trouble is we have people visiting the cemetery and playgroups. It is a very family friendly church.

“The gate is now closed. We are sorry for the inconvenience to some, but we could not take the chance of someone getting hit.

“It really wasn't done lightly. People just weren’t slowing down. We had spoken with council.

“When we moved here there was no train station, the only primary school was the Ormeau State School and Creek St was considered the main road. I guess this is what comes with watching the area grow so much.”

Traffic woes has forced the Pimpama Uniting Church to lock its front gates after its grave yard was used repeatedly as a rat run. Picture: Jerad Williams

The church was built in 1871.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show Pimpama’s population swelled from 9484 residents in 2016 to 12,464 in 2017 while Coomera went up another 10 per cent, welcoming an extra 1400 people. Nearby Ormeau was another booming suburb.

Coomera MP Micheal Crandon said he was aware of the school rush build-up that occurred in the area.

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“It is disappointing. We know that there are traffic issues on the M1 and we have been fighting for upgrades to the exits,” he said.

“But at the same time it is disappointing to hear that some constituents have decided to use a road through a cemetery to avoid the traffic.

“I can understand the frustration but often people and children are walking around that area.

“This is an indication of what has been going on and the shortfall in the planning and infrastructure for the area.

“That being said, we have got issues in other areas that are a lot worse. There are plenty of off and on ramps still need work.”

The State Government is expected to spend $1.5 million this month upgrading the Pimpama and Ormeau M1 exits.