More than 500 Perth residents have signed a petition about the planned closure of the Drummond st and Illawarra road intersection.
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Local resident Jill Hollingsworth voiced her concern at the Northern Midlands Council’s April meeting.
“The problem is for me now to get to Longford, I will have to go way down to the Perth Bridge or way up to the round-a-bout on the Northern outskirts of Perth and that will add a kilometre on my trip coming and going,” she said. “Longford is really an extension of Perth, if you have to go to the round-a-bout you might as well go into Kings Meadows.”
Councillors Dick Adams and Michael Polly agreed with Ms Hollingsworth.
“Two communities like Perth and Longford which have been connected since they’ve been developed is going to be stopped by a large highway flowing through,” Cr Adams said.
Mayor David Downie said the council had asked the department of State Growth to have another meeting enabling local input.
“At the moment the council’s position is asking them if it’s possible to put an off shoot road into Perth,” he said.
A State Growth spokesperson said they were continuing to work closely with the Northern Midlands Council because they want to get the development right for the communities interest.
“The proposed design maintains good access between Perth and Longford, while removing heavy vehicle and commuter traffic from residential areas of Perth,” the spokesperson said.
A range of feedback had been received further information for the community is being prepared, the spokesperson said. The Department said they have previously added additional features into the design at council’s request.
“The additional slip lane into Perth from Illawarra Road as suggested by some members of Council and the Community would result in continued through traffic along Drummond Street, which under Council’s master plan for Perth will become a purely residential street,” the spokesperson said.
Further opportunity for the community to engage with the project team will happen during May. The Petition will be tabled in state parliament in May.