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Member for Lockyer, Ian Rickuss said that the accident on Friday at the Gatton rail overpass should never have occurred.
Mr Rickuss said that in an unfortunate incident on Friday, 11 December, an 11 year old child pedestrian was seriously injured on the Gatton rail overpass on the Gatton-Helidon Road just east of the main part of the Gatton township.
“Safety of pedestrians, particularly children, must be a priority. The safety issues with pedestrians crossing the rail overbridge at Gatton must be addressed”.
Mr Rickuss said he first raised the issue in July 2004 with the District Director of Main Roads, asking for the bridge to have “no pedestrian access”.
“I raised the matter with the Minister for Main Roads and Transport, Paul Lucas in 2005, my staff and I then had discussions with Council officers, including the Lockyer Valley Regional Council (LVRC) Chief Executive Officer, Colin O’Connor in September 2005”.
Mr Rickuss said the issue then became an ideological one about who should pay, State Government or the LVRC and how it should be done – underpass or overpass.
“After I had discussions with Main Roads they did make an offer of $50,000 and carried out survey work to improve the underpass walkway that already exists, however, LVRC CEO, Colin O’Connor, said he would not accept this offer”.
“But did the LVRC CEO, Mr O’Connor do anything to improve the pedestrian safety – NO”.
“Did the then Main Roads Minister, Paul Lucas or his Department do anything to improve pedestrian safety – NO”.
Mr Rickuss said I have continued to raise this issue with Main Roads and Council. I wrote a letter personally addressed to all Councillors in June 2008 advising that pedestrians using the overbridge was a disaster waiting to happen.
“I did receive one response from Mayor, Steve Jones, who appropriately referred it to the LVRC Engineering Department – however, still nothing has been done to improve safety”.
“I had the Main Roads District Director visit in February 2009, and when asked to walk across the bridge to see how dangerous it was, he declined, as he said he realised how dangerous it was for pedestrian – but still nothing was done, Mr Rickuss said.
“I call on the Mayor and Councillors to have a good hard look at how their work and safety policies are being prioritised and implemented”,
“I call on the current Minister for Main Roads, Craig Wallace, to raise safety issues to a priority, and to make his staff aware vehicular and pedestrian safety is what good road design is all about.”
“I call on the Main Roads Minister and the LVRC CEO to stop all pedestrian access to the overbridge and to undertake a full safety audit so a safer solution can be found”.
“I also wish Chloe, the 11 year old girl involved in this tragedy a speedy recovery and her and her family all the best for Christmas and the New Year”, Mr Rickuss said.
14 December 2009
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