By Jeremy Sollars
Free Times Facebook followers blew up big time last week over a Transport and Main Roads bungle over warning signage installed at the southern end of the Stanthorpe bypass.
The bypass junction is a high danger spot on the New England Highway and is earmarked for a State Government safety improvement project worth more than $5 million.
But residents and road users were filthy after new warning signage was installed last Tuesday 20 June – but was left obscured by tree branches.
One angry reader sent us this phone photo of the sign – and the branch in question.
Comments on the Free Times Facebook post – which received thousands of hits – could be summed up along the lines of, “Well they can put up a sign but not trim the tree”.
Social media users were left incredulous, suggesting ludicrous bureaucratic red tape was to blame.
Other comments were more light-hearted – if not practical – with one user suggesting the tree branches could have been simply “tucked behind the sign, like a fringe behind an ear”.
But overwhelmingly the mood was one of anger at the apparent overlap of roles within TMR staffing ranks.
One commenter suggested that, “first an offical form 12 needs to be filled out by an on the ground worker then get approval to the job to be applied, then a budget needs to be allocated for the four staff members,” they wrote.
“Plus get in an arborist to check if the branch really is removed correctly without harming the integrity of the tree, or if the tree needs to be removed a person with a chainsaw Certificate III needs to be employed as the rules for chainsaws changed last month…then an environmental impact study must be assessed as the tree is native to the area and will take three months to complete … and within that time four more accidents will have occurred … ”
The Free Times sought comment from TMR on the status of the tree branch and was advised it had since been removed.
“The $5.4 million project to upgrade the New England Highway and Stanthorpe Connection Road intersection was announced in March this year,” a TMR spokesman said.
“The design works for this project are underway, with construction expected to begin in early 2018.
“We are currently undertaking temporary works to improve safety at this intersection by installing revised line marking and safety signs, which are expected to be completed at the end of June.
“New safety signs were installed and vegetation clearing was undertaken in the area last week, as part of these improvements.
“Line marking is set for this week, to further enhance safety at this intersection.”
