New EV charging stations, extra line marking for local roads

New electric vehicle charging stations could soon form part of a new-look Chandos Street carparking design.

Gunnedah Shire Council has applied for grant funding to install two charging stations outside The Civic.

The charging infrastructure would complement two existing charging stations on Little Barber Street.

It was one of several recommendations by the Gunnedah Local Traffic Advisory Committee which also sought a “detailed design of parking line marking and signage and wayfinding” in the Chandos Street precinct.

The committee’s report to council said vehicle parking in the Chandos Street area is currently “oversubscribed”, meaning vehicle stays are often longer than posted limits.

Yellow on blue wayfinding signage currently encourages circulation around Wolseley Park in an anti–clockwise loop to facilitate caravan parking in both Conadilly Street and Chandos Street, enabling parallel caravan parking close to the information centre.

A Gunnedah CBD parking review adopted in April increased available parking in Chandos Street “at the expense of caravan parking”.

The addition of electric chargers outside The Civic would remove two more car parking spaces, however, this was supported by the traffic committee with a view to incorporate a “holistic approach to local and visitor traffic” in the area.

Meanwhile, a Gunnedah councillor has questioned the positioning of speed measuring equipment on Apex Road which aims to address “unsafe hooning”.

It follows a report to council flagging a safety issue of vehicles approaching the intersection of Apex Drive and Porcupine Hill offshoot road in Gunnedah.

The report noted the activity was “more than just speeding” and described the behaviour as “hooning”.

The traffic committee said measures to address this could include police enforcement or physical impediments such as kerb barriers, guard rails and an intersection realignment.

To determine an extent of the problem, traffic monitoring devices were installed in the area but Cr Juliana McArthur said the equipment was located in the “wrong place”.

“I am aware there are two cables but they are in the wrong location,” she said at the August ordinary meeting of council.

“If the idea is to measure speed up and down Porcupine Lookout, then it would be a wasted exercise.”

Cr McArthur said the traffic counters were installed between Baxter Street and the Apex Road turnoff, and as such, were not recording traffic en-route to Porcupine Lookout.

“My personal experience hearing squealing tyres regularly is that’s not being measured,” she said.

Council staff were not aware of the exact location of the traffic monitoring equipment but had “confidence” it was installed where the highest speed was observed.

Results from the traffic survey will be presented at the next traffic committee meeting for consideration.

In a separate matter, the traffic committee also recommended a line marking plan delineating all four approaches to the Barber and Tempest Street intersection in Gunnedah.

It follows concerns to council about vehicles “cutting the corner” on approach to the busy intersection which includes a hotel, café and gym, among other businesses.

The absence of adequate line marking and intersection signage has resulted in several crashes in recent years – some involving drivers not giving way.

The report to council suggested installation of a “silent policeman”, however, the traffic committee highlighted this device was no longer supported. This was due to safety issues with motorcyclist safety and maintenance to support its high visibility.

If line marking failed to correct driving alignment at the intersection, the committee said the installation of a concrete median strip could also be considered.