Regional West Australians call for overhaul of roadworks signs with increase in domestic tourism

Regional West Australians are calling for an inquiry into the management of roadworks signs, with fears there could be an increase in crashes because COVID-19 border restrictions have forced more families to holiday within WA. Joe de Pledge from Yanrey Station in the southern Pilbara said even in the past few years, the management of road signs had not been up to scratch. “It is a very serious issue and we come across it all the time,” he said. “We use the main roads and the roads in our community up north a lot with transport needs of our stock and supplies.” Mr de Pledge’s son, Kimberly, was jailed last year after his prime mover — which was loaded with 180 cattle — ran into the back of a caravan being towed by a four-wheel-drive killing Tom Price couple Mark and Lara Dawson and leaving their teenaged children injured. Joe de Pledge said roadworks signs may have played a role but despite the tragedy there was a real problem with how signs were managed. Northam farmer Sam Oakley said the way signs were placed differed from site to site and there was a lack of consistency adding to the confusion for drivers. “We’ve got a situation with COVID where we have a lot more caravans, a lot more families on the road,” he said. “We need to make sure they’re safe.” A petition was launched today to push for an inquiry which has been supported by Nationals WA Transport spokesman Vince Catania, his party and Shadow transport minister Libby Mettam. Mr Catania said people’s lives needed to be put first and foremost. “(There is) road signage which is left on the road because it’s cheaper to leave it there and not pick it up so people are unaware if the roads works are occurring or not,” he said. “We have signage which is down where there is roadworks occurring, so people are unaware of the potential risks that lay ahead if that road signage hasn’t been picked up or looked after. “What we’re saying is we need an independent review to ensure road safety is paramount.” The Nationals have also been up in arms over the standard of the Tonkin Highway works between Muchea and Ellenbrook as part of the NorthLink WA program. Chunks of the road seal have been damaging motorists’ windscreens in massive numbers since it opened in April. Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said as of June 10 there had been 417 cases raised with the State. So far 125 had been paid out to the tune of $88,000 in total by the construction contractor. “It takes a number of weeks and sometimes a number of months for the chips to settle on new roads and for issues to settle,” she said. “I have been told that the issues are similar to those raised, for example, about the Great Northern Highway Northam bypass and some of Toodyay Road.”

Regional West Australians call for overhaul of roadworks signs with increase in domestic tourism

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