'What is council doing?': Fears that new houses will increase roundabout risk

The roundabout at the Bradwardine Road and Suttor Street intersection has been the scene of numerous crashes in recent years, including one as recently as this month.

Steve Hill, owner of Steve's Quality Meats, told the Western Advocate late in 2023 that he was worried there would be a tragedy at the roundabout unless design changes were made.

He called on council then to do something about the site and says he is frustrated that nothing has happened since.

Council, though, says a speed zone review is being conducted.

In talking to the Advocate this week, Mr Hill said he is worried about what will happen when around 200 houses are built in the Windy 1100 subdivision, putting more vehicles on the road in that part of the city.

Council announced recently that it had approved the release of an initial 91 lots in Windy 1100, which has been under construction since early 2023.

Bathurst Regional Council conducted works at the roundabout in 2020 with the aim to reduce the speed at which motorists can travel when approaching the site and council's director of engineering services Darren Sturgiss told the Advocate that the number of crashes had dropped significantly since the changes.

Mr Hill, though, said a number of accidents had still occurred since the upgrades were completed.

He has been hit by two cars in separate instances at the roundabout: one in October 2020 and one in March 2023.

"There's been a lot of accidents on that roundabout, and what I'm saying is what is council doing?" Mr Hill said.

"It's not pretty what I've gone through ... my neck is pinned and screwed.

"What's it going to take to do something about it?

"If everyone was going a little bit slower, we wouldn't have this situation."

According to council's Mr Sturgiss, Transport for NSW is conducting a full speed zone review to monitor speeding through the roundabout, following the results of a preliminary review.

It is hoped that the results will be received later in 2024.

Council has also undertaken traffic counts as part of this process, but until the final results have been reached, Mr Sturgiss has one message for the community.

"Council reminds road users that the roundabout sign means slow down, prepare to give way and if necessary stop to avoid a collision," he said.