Cranbourne resident Robert Bruce and Casey Councillor Kevin Bradford say a proposal to place 50km/h stickers on domestic bins will send a clear message to motorists to adhere to the speed limit. By Alison Noonan
NEW Casey council initiative to label household bins with 50km stickers could cost ratepayers up to $200,000.
The “50 In My Street” program aims to reduce drivers speeding on local roads by encouraging residents living on 50km/h zoned streets to place a sticker on their waste bins.
Councillors at last week’s council meeting agreed to trial the initiative in a yet to be determined estate in Casey, following its success in improving road safety in the Western Australia city of Joondalup.
Araluen Ward councillor Rob Wilson and Mayfield Ward councillor Kevin Bradford argued to skip the trial and implement the program on targeted 50km/h streets, claiming the cost of the initiative was irrelevant if lives could be saved.
“This program has proven in other areas that if implemented properly it works and I see no reason that it wouldn’t work in Casey.
“If having stickers on the bins saves one life then the cost is irrelevant,” Cr Bradford said.
Cr Wilson said any road safety measure that continued to promote the 50km/h speed limit was a good idea.
“If the human body is hit at a speed over 50km/h it basically cannot survive. That is why the 50km/h speed limit was brought in.
“Do the whole of Casey and get it done with, to reduce the death toll and make the streets safe.
“We are in the ‘kids capital’ after all,” he said.
However at a cost of $3 per sticker to about 70,000 household bins, Springfield Ward councillor Ben Clissold said it was an expensive risk to take if the program didn’t work.
“If it doesn’t have an impact it will be a waste of money.
“We need to make sure it will be effective first.
“It would be far better to trial it on a small estate to get a controlled result instead of finding it doesn’t work,” he said.
Balla Balla Ward councillor Colin Butler said he struggled to see any real advantages of the program.
“I can’t support this. Council has to identify every 50km/h in Casey and then put a sticker on a bin that only goes out once a week.
“I am very wary of whether this will have any advantages,” he said.
Strathard Ward councillor Lorraine Wreford said she didn’t believe the stickers were needed on every bin and suggested the program be promoted as a voluntary measure.
Manager Community Safety Brendan Fitzsimmons said council, in conjunction with RoadSafe Outer South East (ROSE), had run an initial trial on about 15 bins on Somerville Road in Hampton Park.
He said the sevenweek trial, although confined to a small area, showed no noticeable reduction in speed along the street.
“The vehicle speeds remained constant throughout the trial with no apparent reduction after the stickers were in place.
“If we are going to spend that amount of money we really want to find out whether it will work.
“ROSE has offered to fund a more comprehensive test to determine whether they have an effect or not,” he said.
He said council officers would now work closely with police to identify a suitable residential estate in Casey for a larger trial.
