Finally, I received a response to my submission to Stonnington Council requesting pedestrian crossings at six locations around Toorak. It only took two letters, a newspaper article, a public rally and a petition with over 30 names.
I think the letter says that four of the locations will be considered for pedestrian crossings; I’m not sure because of the tone of utmost scepticism:
It is likely that the resolution of this matter may take some time due to the gathering of information, design of possible treatments … and consultation with different stakeholders involved …
I expect any investigation and design to be completed promptly, however, construction will depend upon the results of consultation with the community and availability of funds to construct any approved option.
The fifth location is the only one ruled out. The story about the sixth location, the one where a pedestrian-operated signal is required, is surprising. A resident had given me copies of correspondence which showed that as long ago as 1986 the Council and/or the Road Traffic Authority — the predecessor of VicRoads — had planned to install some form of traffic control at the very location. She also showed me correspondence about a much later attempt by Council and/or VicRoads — in 2002 — to install a pedestrian operated signal there. And now I learn in the letter from Council there have been at least two subsequent attempts by Council and/or VicRoads, as well as an attempt by yet another Government body — the Department of Transport — just in the space of the last two years to install a pedestrian-operated signal at the spot. The letter cites ‘concerns for Council’s trees’ as the reason the proposal has failed in a couple of cases, but how is it possible that either a tree or two is not cut down in the interests of public safety, or that despite the apparent preciousness of the trees the proposal keeps getting raised?
The one thing that’s clear is that it’s squarely up to the State Government to get the signal installed. Considering I started the project by talking to the State Government member and even having him open the community event on 3 May I don’t know what to do next. If I started with the decision-maker, where else is there to go?
Image: photo taken on road between Ballarat and Dunkeld: St John’s Uniting Church, Streatham.
