Not the answer

I read the many paragraphs relating to the new PSP 2020 (Gaz 7/9). The great pity for all ratepayers is that despite PSP 2014 and 2020 containing explicit instructions to the contrary, council can still decide to abandon all relevant guidelines and standards and “do their own thing”, without ever requiring sanction from the community, as is about to occur in Drouin.

Bricks to the current and previous mayors, CEOs and planning directors who despite decades of receiving requests from the community for “nothing like to this to ever occur in our pristine rural community approved a seven metre wide by 1.5 km long laneway in a new development.

This will be the only access for many families along its length within the new development. Inserted without a footpath, in disregard for the safety and wellbeing of other road users such as: bicycle riders, pedestrians, children and mobility impaired users.

This has been done without support of engineers and in direct contravention of road design and safety standards. This approval was done under delegation.

This problem could have been prevented on the spot if Cr O’Donnell’s amendment for a proper one-way access place had been adopted in 2018.

With some community motivation and positive action from council it can still be corrected. From last week’s discussion in the Gazette, it’s not the three Rs that council need to avoid with a passion, but the “SCIDs”. - silence, closed mindedness, inaction and disinterest.

Barry Dyson, Drouin