Gates on the eastern side of Maitland Park could soon be locked during traffic gridlock times, to prevent speeding motorists using it as a rat run and putting lives at risk.
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The news coincides with renewed calls from long term Maitland councillor Henry Meskauskas for an inner city bypass linking Lochinvar with Thornton.
A frustrated Cr Meskauskas has spent almost a decade lobbying the State for a bypass that would link Lochinvar and Thornton in times of flood with feeder roads into Rutherford/Telarah, the city centre and East Maitland.
He said the bypass would also ease peak hour highway congestion, particularly at the New England Highway and Church Street intersection bottleneck.
Ray Chipperfield, who lives at the western entrance to Maitland Park, knows only too well the popularity of the rat run first hand and is in full agreeance with the councillor.
He recently counted 186 cars in 30 minutes speeding into Maitland Park to beat highway traffic.
“It starts every afternoon from 3pm to 5.30,” he said. “Someone is going to be killed here if drivers continue to speed through the park. The gates need to be shut at 3pm and reopen about three hours later. The government only did half a job with that flyover.”
Cr Meskauskas said Maitland’s population had almost doubled in the past 24 years, a trend set to continue with a population forecast of more than 104,000 by 2036.
While there has been a slight reprieve for motorists over the recent holiday period, Cr Meskauskas said the west-bound traffic bottleneck has returned with a vengeance.
He said moves are afoot to close Maitland Park to west-bound motorists during morning and afternoon peak times as a safety precaution. The proposal is to stop frustrated motorists using it to beat the morning and afternoon traffic snarls.
He said people living in Central Maitland are also feeling the strain as motorists heading west, opt off the highway at the visitors’ centre, travel into High Street then left into Abbot Street and follow the railway line along Athel D’Ombrain Drive to the railway station to get back onto the highway.
Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison said the most urgent task in reducing congestion is addressing the problem with the railway station roundabout.
“I am in talks with the RMS and have sent messages about the congestion issue to the minister for transport,” she said.
“The RMS is considering installing traffic lights on Church Street to try and provide a break in the traffic to address the flow.
“In relation to an inner city bypass, I am happy to meet with Cr Meskauskas to discuss his proposal. It is not something that has been formally raised with me,” she said.
A spokesperson for Roads and Maritime Services said the RMS is looking at ways to ease congestion to the east of Church Street and reduce westbound queues on the New England Highway.
“Any measures developed will be open to discussion with Maitland City Council and community consultation,” the spokesperson said.
“Roads and Maritime does not have any current plans for an inner city bypass for Maitland, as the Hunter Expressway provides many of the proposed bypass’ functions.”
Cr Meskauskas’ campaign for an inner city by pass started in 2008.
In 2012 council backed his plan which was later raised with the State. Unfortunately the government told council it would not consider the plan until the impact of the Hunter Expressway could be determined.
At that time Cr Meskauskas said there would be no relief in Maitland from the opening of the Hunter Expressway.
In July 2013 Cr Meskauskas said the city’s traffic situation had almost reached breaking point and demanded “emergency help” from the State Government.
The then State Member for Maitland Robyn Parker said the NSW Government needed to listen to the people who live in the city and plans for an inner city bypass must go on the drawing board sooner rather than later.