Tamworth's traffic committee to look at New England Highway, Kootingal intersection with residents fearful of crashes

The Leader can reveal that Transport for NSW has carried out more investigations at the intersection of Sandy Road, Porcupine Lane and the New England Highway at Kootingal after safety fears were raised.

The wheels are in motion to "enhance signage" in the area, including warning and directional signs on Porcupine Lane and Sandy Road, but the plan has done little to alleviate residents' fears of a major crash.

Deputy mayor Mark Rodda has thrown his support behind Kootingal residents, who have raised their concerns with Tamworth Regional Council as well as the state government, police and Transport for NSW.

Cr Rodda said he would bring it up with the Tamworth Regional Local Traffic Committee, who has been looking at intersections in Kootingal.

Despite the New England Highway being a state government road, and the $8.5 million upgrade being carried out by Transport for NSW, he said the committee could "see what other options there are to enhance the safety of that intersection" to take any issues further.

He said just in the few minutes he was out on-site speaking with resident David Wynn, he witnessed a near-miss which had brakes screeching and horns honking.

"A vehicle thought they had enough time, and they obviously didn't," he said.

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Cr Rodda told the Leader it seemed "crazy" there was no egress lane to give motorists time to accelerate up to 100km per hour when turning left onto the highway out of Porcupine Lane, though there is one when turning left onto the highway from Sandy Road.

"I can understand the concern of the residents that you go and spend a lot of money on an intersection treatment that doesn't deliver the outcome that people want," he said.

He said if changes needed to be made it would be "throwing good money after bad".

Resident David Wynn said he was worried that if things didn't change at the intersection, like installing stop signs on the side roads or enforcing a lower speed limit on the highway along that stretch, there would be a major crash.

"There are car bits everywhere down there," he said.

He welcomed the Transport for NSW plan to put in warning signs like 'reduce speed' on Sandy Road and Porcupine Lane, but said it did nothing to address his fears.

"There needs to be a warning for highway traffic that the intersection is coming up," he said.

A Transport for NSW spokesperson told the Leader a community consultation process was carried out for the Kootingal project as a whole, with the intersection upgrade part of a wider plan to increase safety on the highway.

"Community feedback was factored into the final design where it was reasonable and feasible," the spokesperson said.

A traffic analysis was carried out during the design stage, and a road safety audit was completed after construction, resulting in changes to the original design.

The spokesperson confirmed the roads authority had received correspondence about the intersection.

"As a result, Transport for NSW will be providing enhanced signage and line marking at the intersections of those roads with New England Highway," they said.

A crash in March, 2022, at the intersection saw five people injured, including one seriously. There was also a serious crash in October, 2021.

Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said in a statement that he was "always keen" to talk to residents about road safety.

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