IT’S good news for motorists fed up with traffic jams and near misses at The Northern Road and Richmond-Blacktown Road intersection: an additional roundabout has been identified as the preferred option to alleviate traffic problems.
An RMS investigation concluded a roundabout was the most viable way to improve travel times and safety at the intersection, and the adjoining roundabout at George Street.
The RMS preferred option would see a new roundabout installed at the intersection of Richmond-Blacktown and Northern roads, as well as an upgrade of the nearby George Street roundabout.
One of the advantages of this option was that there was no need for property acquisition and gave the best efficiency-related benefits.
The other two options involved installing traffic lights at the Richmond-Blacktown Road/Northern Road intersection, or replacing the existing roundabout at George Street with traffic lights, but it was projected that traffic queues generated by traffic lights wouldn’t be practical in the area between the two intersections.
About 5500 letters discussing the options were distributed in Londonderry, Bligh Park, South Windsor and Windsor Downs in February. Only 47 people responded. Nine rejected the entire proposal.
Londonderry MP Bart Bassett, who has lobbied for improvements at those intersections for more than a decade, said the report recommendations were a good result regarding traffic and safety improvements and could be achieved in the short term.
‘‘I also encourage Penrith Council to support the call to close the right turn out of Bennett Road and I have raised the matter with them,’’ he said.
Penrith Council did not respond before the Courier went to press.
