By JONATHON HOWARD
RETIRED truck driver, Ken Whiteland, says cowboy truckers are putting lives at risk west of Warwick and he has echoed calls for urgent speed reductions.
Mr Whiteland drove trucks for more than 50 years and said he was disgusted by an increasing amount of reckless driving being displayed by heavy truck drivers – many he says are pushing both themselves and their equipment to the limits.
Mr Whiteland’s property backs onto the corner of Lyndhurst Lane and Cunningham Highway and most afternoons he can be seen perched in his backyard watching the traffic roll by.
“I’ve got a lot of good friends in the trucking industry and around 3.30pm each afternoon I sit out the back and give ’em a wave as they pass,” he said.
“But over the years I’ve noticed a lot of trucks passing through, inbound and outbound, are pushing the limits of both their equipment and their abilities – it’s gotten so bad I fear someone could be killed.”
Mr Whiteland agreed with speed reduction calls expressed by Tracy and Mark Binskin who featured in the Free Times (August 15, Page 1).
“As west Warwick has developed, rapidly, there’s been no change to the speed limits and many trucks are pushing 110km per hour prior to Lyndhurst Lane,” he said.
Mr Whiteland said road safety near a school campus operated by Warwick State High School was also a concern.
“The campus is still in use and yet there’s no school crossing, no speed reduction signs during school hours – in fact vehicles are travelling a over 100km/h prior to the school campus,” he said.
“There needs to be urgent speed reductions and greater police presence to deter this behaviour and prevent the worst from occurring.”
Mr Whiteland said he contacted the Department of Transport and Main Roads and spoke with a representative who agreed the road was a concern.
“If Main Roads know it’s a concern, why aren’t they acting on these concerns and slowing the traffic down – it should be 60km per hour up to Lyndhurst Lane and slower during school hours.”
The Free Times has contacted Department of Main Roads, but was unable to include a response prior to the print deadline.
If you have experienced a near miss near Lyndhurst Lane and feel there’s a need for speed reductions, please send the Free Times editor an email: newsdesk@freetimes.com.au
