Narrabundah resident Timothy DeWan has called on the ACT Government to fix the intersection at La Perouse Street and Carnegie Crescent after a ute crashed there and overturned last week.

The incident happened at 5.30pm on Thursday. ACT Fire and Rescue and the ACT Ambulance Service attended the scene. One person was transported to hospital with injuries, while another refused transportation, the ACT ESA stated.

The ACT Government is already making improvements to slow vehicles down immediately before and through the intersection, but Mr DeWan claims these are not enough.

“The government has implemented an 80 per cent solution to our major 100 per cent safety issue,” he said.

Locals say the intersection is one of the most dangerous intersections in Canberra. This was the third crash there so far this year, following crashes in July and May. Mr DeWan and others fear that there will be a death at the intersection one day.

Mr DeWan said the crash happened despite witches’ hats around roadworks at the intersection.

“I was told last night that it was witnessed by a [Red Hill Primary School] father who had just cycled through the intersection with his three-year-old on the back,” one local posted on Facebook. “He heard an almighty bang and turned to see the ute going over. A very close call.”

• Narrabundah intersection a ‘death trap’, locals say (16 March 2022)
• Narrabundah residents worried about dangerous intersection (21 December 2021)

Transport Canberra and City Services said the improvements include rubber speed cushions on three approaches to the intersection (excluding the eastern approach along Carnegie Crescent); a raised pedestrian (wombat) crossing on the eastern Carnegie Crescent approach, including floodlighting; localised speed limit reduction to 50 km/h on La Perouse Street between Brockman Street and Nuyts Street; minor modifications to the refuge islands on La Perouse Street to allow cars to turn right at the same time from both directions; additional signage to make road users aware of traffic calming treatments ahead; and “Keep Clear” markings on approach to the pedestrian crossing.

An independent traffic consultant selected the features to manage traffic, improve safety, and pedestrian amenity based on identified concerns raised by an independent traffic study, correspondence received from the community, and from several relevant stakeholders, a TCCS spokesperson said. In direct response to public feedback, the government adapted the designs to incorporate new road markings and additional signage, and to modify the traffic islands to allow cars to make right turns at the same time in both directions.

Mr DeWan claims, however, that the government initiated a review but spoke to nobody in the area; and that after he raised the issue with Chris Steel, Minister for Transport and City Services, the government undertook a “community consultation” that had no impact on the planned rectifications TCCS had decided upon.

“The two key issues that have not been addressed by the ACT Government are speed and congestion,” Mr DeWan said. “Until these two issues are addressed, the crashes will continue.”

“Our problem, as the community communicated with the government, is that the focus of the rectification work is on the intersection only. However, speed is also an issue. Based on the increased traffic patterns and congestion associated with growth in the Inner South, we need the ACT government to slow the speed of vehicles approaching the intersection before they enter it. If there is the chance of an accident or a collision with a car (or a pedestrian / child from one of the local primary schools), a driver can respond easier at 40 than they can at 60 (or, from our experience, 60+++).”

TCCS stated: “The traffic study … did not identify significant congestion issues, and therefore the scope of this project is to address immediate safety concerns at the intersection.

“While traffic control measures will improve safety at this intersection, ultimately driver behaviour plays a significant role. Road safety campaigns are regularly undertaken by the ACT Government and ACT Policing, and these proposed improvements will also have a positive impact on driver behaviour at this intersection.”