Subject: 175 signature petition to remove the ‘Left Turn Only’ restriction at the new Beaconsfield/Mowbray LightsWe are pleased to submit for your consideration and action a petition of more than 175 signatures requesting the removal of the Left Turn Only restriction at the new Beaconsfield Rd / Mowbray Traffic Lights.
The petition wording and the comments submitted by signatories (attached) outline the many issues with the imposition of the installed intersection design, including most commonly:
1. Significant negative impact to local residents trying to exit Chatswood West on a daily basis, particularly those heading to Lane Cove.
2. Significant shift in traffic volumes onto inappropriate, and now dangerous, back streets nearby (predominately Dalrymple, Coolaroo and Greenlands).
3. A strong belief that the wishes and needs of the vast majority of local residents have not been accounted for in the decision making process relating to configuration of the new lights, and for some, a suspicion that a very small but vocal number of residents may have disproportionately influenced the design decision.
We encourage you to read the comments on the petition to get a sense of the various negative impacts on different residents and the level of subsequent frustration in the local community.
Compounding the issue is that while council did do some consultation with residents at a meeting 18 months prior to the installation, there is a strong belief that consultation was primarily focused on whether lights should be installed or not, with many residents both for and against the lights (in any form) at the time.
With that focus at the time, the majority of local residents do not feel that they were then adequately engaged or consulted regarding the configuration of the lights once it had been resolved to go ahead and do the installation.
It is noted by petition signatories that council meeting minutes outline how council staff advised against the Left Turn Only restrictions that have since been installed. We believe that the advice of council staff to allow multi-directional use of the intersection was in the interests of the vast majority of residents and road users, and are deeply displeased that such advice was not acted upon.
These additional factors have compounded the depth of frustration at the impact on residents of the overly restrictive configuration that has now been installed.
The petition was circulated only in the following local streets:
– Beaconsfield Road (incl associated smaller side streets)
– Dalrymple Ave
– Coolaroo Rd
– Sharland Ave
– Greenlands Rd
– Moola Parade
– Goodchap Rd (western side)
– Ivy Street
– golf club and local progress association website
Despite this limited local distribution, 176 signatures have been received as of 1st December, a very significant proportion of residents in the above streets. We suspect that a broader survey of Chatswood West residents would yield even higher numbers.
In this context we strongly request that Willoughby Council, Lane Cove Council and the RMS adopt the wishes of the majority of local residents and remove the Left Turn Only restriction from the Beaconfield lights so residents can once again turn right into Mowbray Rd and cross straight into Ralston St.
Fortunately this should simply require removal of a few signs and some road paintwork. It would not require costly demolition of installed medians, poles, electrical or the like. It would also not require any change at all to the sequencing of lights.
While noting that council is currently gathering traffic volume information in the impacted streets, we request a prompt resolution of this issue and return to sensible traffic balance and access in our local streets.
In addition to consideration of this petition by council traffic staff, we ask that you forward this petition to:
– The Willoughby Traffic Committee for consideration/awareness at it’s next meeting, and
– The most senior RMS contact responsible for the traffic lights
We also ask our local councillors (copied) to listen to the feedback of local residents and provide the necessary support/authority to council staff so they can fix this problem as promptly as possible.
Please direct any correspondence and/or updates to the below email address and we will be pleased to share them with the petition signatories via our mailing list.
Chatswood West Ward History 
Since these lights were activated the number of vehicles turning right out of Dalrymple Avenue on to Mowbray Road has increased significantly. This intersection is close to a blind corner on Mowbray Road where the risk of collision is high. Consideration should be given to signposting “left turn only” out of Dalrymple Avenue, irrespective of any change to the Beaconsfield/Mowbray lights.
Installation of the “left turn only” sign out of Beaconsfield Road should never have been allowed, and its removal is a logical change requiring no other alterations to the traffic signals.
We are looking forward to a successful outcome to this issue in due course.