ALBURY councillors have been left bemused by an apparent back-flip on installing a red light speed camera at the Mate and Fallon streets intersection.
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It was also the scene of a fatal motorcycle accident in August 2011.
The decision not to proceed with the speed camera was this week included in a report from the traffic committee’s latest meeting in late July.
Cr John Stuchbery was perplexed by the U-turn on the issue.
“What thought processes were going through this decision-making process?” he queried.
“Were they flying a kite or were they actually putting some intellectual capacity into it?”
Engineering director Brad Ferris said when it was initially raised it was considered a “potential project”.
“It was the first we had heard about it and we requested some further information if they were going to progress (with the camera),” Mr Ferris said.
“We didn’t have any feedback on the request.
“From a regional perspective they don’t see it as a priority.”
NSW Centre for Road Safety re-affirmed site selection for the installation of 200 cameras across the state in a strategy dating back to 2012 was ongoing.
Individual intersections, including the one in North Albury, had not yet been selected for the rollout.
“Speed cameras are placed at specific locations in NSW with a known crash history and we know they work in slowing drivers down and saving lives,” Centre for Road safety executive director Bernard Calon said.
“There are 171 red-light camera locations throughout NSW with another 29 to be installed.”
Meanwhile, a highly anticipated traffic study being put together by RMS and council has been delayed.
“That project has stalled slightly and we are trying to rectify some of the issues identified in the draft,” Mr Ferris said.
“We received a draft a number of months ago.
“We’ve reviewed that and provided some feedback to RMS.”
RMS is the lead agency on the study which has become critical due to the rapid residential growth in the Thurgoona-Wirlinga corridor.