Main Roads rejects calls for Waterloo speed limit reduction

Waterloo Village Caravan Park owner Greg Homer has called on Main Roads to listen to concerned citizens rather than relying on statistics.

Mr Homer made the comments after a spokeswoman for the State Government department said a low frequency of incidents on a 3km stretch of South Western Highway near the caravan park did not highlight the area as “being of particular concern”.

“There were three reported crashes in the vicinity of Waterloo Caravan Park and Condello’s Liquor Store for the five-year period ending 31 December 2018,” she said.

“In the same time period, there were 22 reported crashes on the 3km stretch of highway indicated on the map provided, with many of these occurring at the major intersections.

“Speed was not identified as a factor in any of these incidents.”

Mr Homer has repeatedly raised concerns about the stretch of highway along with other residents and business owners in the area.

“I doubt any of the people from Main Roads have a 100kmh stretch directly outside their front door,” he said.

“It’s very easy to come here for a 15 or 20-minute period to monitor the road, then make a decision.

“All they would need to do is go up and down talking to people along this stretch of road to ask them how they feel about the speed.”

He said people living at the caravan park had to devise a special plan to enter it in a safer manner at certain times of the day.

“If they are travelling from Bunbury to the park with the sun in their eyes with a car behind them we say they should drive past,” he said.

“Then they can turn left and use that little slip lane to enter more safely.”

The spokeswoman said Main Roads would continue to monitor the section of road.