Majority of councillors keep Tallai road open despite police fears for safety
A notorious Gold Coast hinterland suburban road renowned for hooning will not be closed despite police saying there are safety concerns.
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A notorious Gold Coast hinterland suburban road renowned for hooning will not be closed despite police saying there are safety concerns.
Mudgeeraba-based councillor Glenn Tozer said he was disappointed after losing a split vote, where a majority of councillors at full council last Friday rejected a petition to close off Earle Court.
The two-way undivided road is a connecting link between Tallai Road in the south and to The Panorama via the Connection Road in the north.
A steep 6m wide road, it was opened to through traffic to allow The Panorama to be built in 1985. Council voted to keep it open in 1992, sparking decades of protest from residents.
Mr Tozer said residents had told him: “It’s quite silly. The Panorama has been developed. We should go back to a cul-de-sac.”
About 1200 motorists are using the link road every day, with at least 30 per cent being non-locals. Residents have to negotiate narrow, short entrances to their multi-million dollar homes.
“The street is quite unsafe due to its topography. It really should be closed,” Mr Tozer said.
The Queensland Police Service told council that separating the roads will decrease the access of hoons from The Panorama to Earle Court which will be “of benefit to residents”.
“This will further decrease hooning escape routes from The Panorama which may assist police detection,” QPS said.
Resident John Holliday said his big concerns were the increase in traffic and vehicle speeds.
“There are signs saying it should be 50km/h. You can’t even do 40km/h around some of these bends,” he said.
“They think they are on a racetrack and it’s a windy road – it’s completely over the top.”
Hooning complaints in the hinterland have sparked in the past month, with Mr Tozer warning parents not to buy kids motorised bikes unless they have land to ride them.
A majority of councillors rejected the closure option at just more than $60,000 and supported a mix of calming devices including give way signs and chicanes – at double the cost.
Transport committee chair Darren Taylor said all residents and not just petitioners would be consulted about these future measures.
“We want to make sure our streets are maintained for all users, not become a private street for individuals,” he said.
Mr Tozer said he was “disappointed” that Mr Taylor and other councillors were leaving the road open despite police wanting it closed.
“I guess councillors could have been concerned about the possible precedent set for road closure in their divisions. But if closing some ‘rat-run’ roads helps police, why can’t we just try a few options,” he said.
“If we’re really serious about reducing the impact of hooning, working with police and experimenting with road closure options has to be considered. I’m frustrated that other councillors’ opposition is a missed opportunity for just such an experiment in our hinterland.
“The lead petitioners have already reached out to be involved with devising a suitable solution that can slows hoons, keep their road safer, and remain an efficient part of the hinterland road network.”
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Originally published as Majority of councillors keep Tallai road open despite police fears for safety
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