Petitioners demand Oxenford M1 nightmare be solved

MORE than 1400 furious Gold Coast motorists have signed a petition after the State Government installed solar panels at one of the city’s worst intersections for congestion.

Theodore MP Mark Boothman has tabled a petition in State Parliament which calls on Transport Minister Mark Bailey to stop the installation of panels in a fenced-off area near the intersection.

Petitioners asked that a slip lane be built on the land adjoining the Oxenford Tavern to ease congestion and allow motorists easier access to the M1 motorway, and that the solar panels were moved to a nearby school.

Mr Boothman this week described the decision to place the solar panels near the northbound off-ramp as “moronic”.

“Solar panels are not going to easy the traffic congestion at this notorious intersection,” he said.

“I am constantly met by residents asking what sort of dimwit came up with this idea. We need a slip lane.”

“We also need to look at ways to bypass this congested interchange by building alternative roadways and potentially new bridge accesses across the motorway,” he said.

RACQ data shows the Oxenford ramp remains one of the worst for call-outs for motorists stranded with overheated cars in traffic.

The Queensland Government has committed $25 million to upgrade the Oxenford Interchange with Main Roads reporting that “the planning phase is soon to be completed”.

The upgrade would improve safety for the motorway off-ramp traffic movements by reducing queuing from the motorway to the interchange, and alleviate congestion at the interchange and adjacent intersections.

The panels were introduced to offset the power used to light the interchange underpass.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey said Mr Boothman was “deliberately misleading local motorists” because the Government was committed to $25 million upgrade of the Oxenford exit.

“The Palaszczuk Labor Government announced just last month that a tender had been awarded to complete the designs for the $25 million upgrade to Exit 57 after zero happened when Mr Boothman had his chance under Premier Newman,” he said.