THE erection of a dry stone wall to draw attention to the historic avenue of historic ash trees which runs through O’Connell has long-time local resident David McKibbon hopping mad.
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With work on the project by Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) underway beside busy O’Connell Road on the northern approach the village, Mr McKibbon says he is convinced the wall will at some stage lead to a serious crash.
“There was no discussion with me about my concerns, nor was there any effort to find another location,” he said. “I am not a whinger, but this is just dangerous and lacks any common sense.
“The wall is going up opposite my house at 2519 O’Connell Road where I own land on both sides of the road at this location.
“My wife and I regularly use the lane opposite the Beaconsfield Road for access to my land on the eastern side of the road, not only with vehicles, but also farm machinery and livestock.
“The basis for my objection to this project is on the grounds that visibility will be reduced coming onto the Beaconsfield Road from the river.
“The lane is steep coming onto Beaconsfield Road, and needs more than normal care to decide to cross or turn right, particularly when you are moving cattle which are moved into the laneway from the paddock and along the verge to the top of the rise where the wall is being constructed where they can easily be seen by vehicles coming from Bathurst side.
“From there, they are moved along O’Connell Road for about 250m and driven through a gate on the western side near my front entrance. Over the years I have found this to be the safest means of stock movement from the eastern paddock.”
Mr McKibbon said yesterday the wall would seriously impede the vision of motorists from the Bathurst side of O’Connell they would not be able to adequately see stock coming up the rise behind the wall from the lane.
“When the Beaconsfield Road corner was modified some years ago, the wide verge which I have referred to was purposely constructed in order to give good line of sight looking towards Bathurst from the lane. It is now ludicrous to build a wall which will impede that line of sight.”
Mr McKibbon said he received no notification from RMS about the construction of the wall.
“Having lived in close proximity to this corner for 60 years, I have seen the large build up of traffic, both with cars and particularly heavy trucks and I am firmly convinced the erection of this wall will lead to a serious road crash in the future,” he said.
“I don’t want me or my family to be involved in that accident.”
