Road reservation changes will cut amount of land set aside for widening

14/2/97

Planned changes to road reservations in six metropolitan locations will cut the amount of property set aside for future road widening, Planning Minister Graham Kierath said.

The amendment, announced this week, is good news for people living alongside roads where their property forms part of the road reserve.

"This move reduces the amount of reserve set aside for future road widening and improvement," Mr Kierath said.

"Most of the people whose roadside property forms part of the reservation along the roads will now have less land affected.

"The changes come after recommendations in the Road Reserves Review of 1991 which identified roads where some of the reserved land was surplus to needs."

Roads affected by the change include William Street from Walcott to Vincent Streets in Mt Lawley; Beaufort Street/Broun Avenue from Drake to Brisbane Streets in Maylands; Main Street from Wanneroo Road to Royal Street in Balcatta; Claremont Crescent/Shenton Road from Servetus Street to Graylands Road in Claremont; Sevenoaks Street from Sutton to Crawford Streets in Cannington; and Albany Highway from George Street to Nicholson Road in Cannington.

Current reservations to allow for future widening of regional roads under the Metropolitan Region Scheme are generally 30 to 50mwide. This amendment plans to reduce the reservations to 23 to 30m in width.

Although narrower, the design concept plans still allow for improvements.

"Intersection improvements will help traffic flow and safety, wider kerbside lanes will promote safer cycling and median strips will make road crossing safer for pedestrians," Mr Kierath said.

"The plans also recognise the need to protect heritage buildings and exisiting trees as well as landscaping."

Landowners will be sent information and maps detailing how the proposed changes affect them.

Public submissions on the proposed changes as part of the Regional Roads (Part 3) Major Amendment may be made to the Western Australian Planning Commission until May 23.

Media contact: Steve Manchee 481 2133