1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: Now onto a different topic, and Barb emailed in a 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: couple of days ago, thank you Bob for this. She says, 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:09,400 Speaker 1: I'm not sure if you're aware of the new roundabout 4 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: on the Harris Highway. An article in the paper recently 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:18,279 Speaker 1: Hick and Botham, who are developing the area through where 6 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: is it? Roseware the gardens saying having the approval to 7 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: build either traffic lights or a roundabout, but whoever designed 8 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: it knows little about the traffic that uses the Horricks Highway. 9 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,440 Speaker 1: B doubles, triples, long and large loads going to the 10 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 1: wind farms up north use this road and won't be 11 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:43,279 Speaker 1: able to negotiate the roundabout. It's a main transport corridor 12 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: freight going to Claire, Mid North Roxby Broken Hills, Sydney 13 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:50,160 Speaker 1: and Queensland. The other two new estates a bit further 14 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:52,479 Speaker 1: south have slip lanes going in and out of the 15 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 1: estates which work very well. This should be what the 16 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: estate uses. There'll be a meeting tomorrow with stakeholders to 17 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 1: talk about this. Hopefully sanity will prevail, but the stupidity 18 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: needs to be reversed. Thank you for your time, enjoy 19 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: your show every day. Thank you bart Well. Let's put 20 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:10,839 Speaker 1: that to Steve Shearer from the Essay Road Transport Association. 21 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 2: Steve, good morning, Yeah, good morning, Matthew. How are you 22 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:14,119 Speaker 2: all right? 23 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:16,840 Speaker 1: Thank you. I understand this roundabout as sharp edges, so 24 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 1: you can't. There are many around Adelaide that seem to 25 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: be built for trucks and buses where the back wheells 26 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: particularly can go over the edge the lip of the 27 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 1: roundabout because it's almost at bitchumen level and designed specifically 28 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: for that. Not so with this one. 29 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 2: Well, that's right. That's what we call truck friendly roundabout 30 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 2: and design. So instead of being the traditional one with 31 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:44,040 Speaker 2: basically a curve like you get on the street. Hick 32 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 2: and Botham were given approval to do this as part 33 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 2: of their contractual arrangement quite some years ago. The trucking 34 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 2: industry was not consulted at any point in the process, 35 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 2: but when we became aware, we really pushed the point 36 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 2: about it needing to be truck friendly, and everyone said, yeah, yeah, 37 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 2: we understand that Horris Highway is a designated road train route. 38 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 2: They are the largest trucks that you'll see south of 39 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 2: Port Augusta and they need a nice wide turning circle. 40 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 2: We would have preferred for he can bolt them to 41 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 2: actually use the very good alternative option, which is to 42 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 2: duck around and come into the back of their development. 43 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 2: But for marketing reasons, I guess they wanted to be 44 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,519 Speaker 2: a flog it as it can come straining and off 45 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 2: the highway under the new South Australian Freight and Supply 46 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:39,119 Speaker 2: Chain Strategy which I and a few other people from 47 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 2: industry were appointed to the solid Committee by Minister puts Intonus, 48 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 2: and a lot of hard work went into it. There's 49 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,959 Speaker 2: one important guiding principle amongst others, which is the need 50 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 2: to protect freight corridors, whether it's a rail line, a 51 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 2: major road route, or a sea route or whatever it 52 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 2: might be. There are limits, of course, but basically you've 53 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,959 Speaker 2: got to ensure those things can operate safely and efficiently. 54 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 2: I understand that Hick and Botham are yet to put 55 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 2: the second layer of ashfelt on, which will build the 56 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 2: road up a bit higher, so the edge that you 57 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:19,519 Speaker 2: talked about, instead of being about eight centimeters will only 58 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 2: be somewhere between two and three, and that's a lot 59 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:27,919 Speaker 2: more suitable. But it doesn't change the turning circle coming south. 60 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 2: It's not as bad traveling north. It really doesn't work 61 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 2: for the large reads that are entitled to use that 62 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 2: designated road train route, and unfortunately Hick and Botham don't 63 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 2: seem to care. The Department of Transport has cracked the 64 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 2: whip and told them to get on with finishing the roundabout. 65 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 2: But it would have been better if the thing had 66 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: been designed in consultation, not just with planning approval authorities, 67 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 2: but also the trucking industry. And one of the things 68 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 2: we worried about, Matthew is we always plan on the 69 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 2: reality of what happens on the road, and the reality 70 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 2: is that sometimes some people don't drive safely, and that 71 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 2: includes some of our drivers. But we have a real 72 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 2: issue with some motorists who don't understand the need to 73 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 2: think about the size and weight of that truck that's coming. 74 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:25,480 Speaker 2: So let's say you're in a hurry, you're late for work, 75 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 2: you're coming out of that Hick and Botham development. You 76 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:30,479 Speaker 2: see a roundabout and you figure, well, I've got the 77 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 2: right of way, so you just jump onto the roundabout 78 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 2: and don't notice that there's a ninety ton road train 79 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 2: coming and about to enter it. That concerns us greatly, 80 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:47,359 Speaker 2: and we'll have to see how it pans out, but 81 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:50,919 Speaker 2: at the very least, there was a serious failure to 82 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 2: consult properly with the trucking industry and recognize that that 83 00:04:56,440 --> 00:05:00,359 Speaker 2: is an approved designated road train freight route. There's not 84 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 2: really a suitable alternative. And it's not about cost saving 85 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:09,720 Speaker 2: for truck operators. It's about safe operations on the road. 86 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 2: And Tomkinsontonis and his government know It's just the reason 87 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 2: they've put this freight strategy get together is they know 88 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 2: that for our economy to perform at its best and 89 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 2: keeps out Australia competitive, we have to be able to 90 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,599 Speaker 2: move freight safely and efficiently. 91 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:29,719 Speaker 1: Yeah. Look, I suppose a roundabout is better than just 92 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:33,280 Speaker 1: at being an open intersection, because then you've got trucks 93 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 1: coming through whatever the speed limit is through there. I 94 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: imagine it's what eighty or ninety k's an hour and 95 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 1: somebody pulling out in front of them without a roundabout. 96 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 2: Well that's true, but if you had traffic lights with 97 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 2: proper light phasing, you can solve that problem. But the 98 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 2: best solution is one you mentioned in the intro. There 99 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 2: are slip lanes at other developments that work very well, 100 00:05:55,600 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 2: and we don't understand why that wasn't that. It really 101 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 2: is almost as if marketing the blocks of land and 102 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 2: building of houses took priority over ensuring the safest approach. 103 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 2: We're not talking about a metropolitan road. We are talking 104 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:17,360 Speaker 2: about a major freight route with the largest trucks on it. 105 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:19,719 Speaker 2: You've got to think about that differently. 106 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: Indeed, Steve, appreciate the time. Thank you for coming on. 107 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 1: Steve Shero. It's a Road Transport Association. Mark Elms is 108 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 1: Manager Delivery Strategy at the Department for Infrastructure and Transport. Mark, 109 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: good morning, thanks for coming on. Why does a developer 110 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:37,719 Speaker 1: get the right to determine what happens on a road? 111 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 1: Isn't that well your department? 112 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 3: Literally, yeah, absolutely correct, so good morning, making good morning Steve. 113 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 3: Absolutely so. The developers when they put in their proposals 114 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 3: use designers and they will come into the department and 115 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 3: their standards and their specifications and the designs will get 116 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:55,040 Speaker 3: reviewed by the department to ensure it aligns with what 117 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 3: the vehicle's needs after that road. So the roundabout that 118 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 3: is going in there has been designed over over massive vehicles. 119 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 3: In its current current form, however, there have been challenges 120 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 3: in its construction and being a very tight site to 121 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 3: traverse around with vehicles, especially go beside mass vehicles moving 122 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 3: around that size while it's in construction, and as Steve mentioned, 123 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 3: there was a bit of a lip there about eighty 124 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 3: mil I can pleased to announce that obviously, now Ashfelt 125 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 3: has gone in there, so that lip now is down 126 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 3: to that two to three centimeters, So vehicles should be 127 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 3: able to transverse through that round about going northbound a 128 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 3: lot more. 129 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 1: Easily, all right, so they can basically run over that 130 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 1: lip now, as is the case that many roundabouts around Adelaide, 131 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 1: especially where trucks and buzzes go. Okay, yeah, that will 132 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 1: take a lot of the There's been reports of under 133 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: carriage damage. There's been reports of steering arms on trailers 134 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: being bent. It's been a big problem. 135 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, it has been. I mean currently the southbound section 136 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 3: of that roundabout has not been completed, so it's vehicles 137 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 3: are still using the southbound bypass. But yet now that 138 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 3: that work has been completed, we expect vehicles to be 139 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 3: able to transfer through their satisfactorily. 140 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: Is the department happy ultimately with a roundabout solution? Should 141 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: you have not come in first and said, look, this 142 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 1: really is traffic lights or this needs to be a 143 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: slip lane, and why on us would you put a 144 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: roundabout on a highway anyway. 145 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 3: Roundabouts are very good for slowing vehicles down. Yeah, in 146 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 3: relation to moving around and through junctions. There's also some 147 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 3: challenges in that site for the vegetation areas where we're 148 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 3: allowed to build or for the developer to build, which 149 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 3: also made some future designs unable to be completed. So 150 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 3: that's why there's roundabout there. 151 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:37,079 Speaker 1: Yeah, but you know, vegetation, with all due respective vegetation, 152 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:39,559 Speaker 1: you can take some out in this area and plant it, 153 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: you know, thirty meters further along if if you need to, 154 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 1: or one hundred or whatever it needs to be. It 155 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:45,199 Speaker 1: can be replaced. 156 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, Yet it can be. And as we mentioned that 157 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 3: when the designs came in, they were reviewed and the 158 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 3: roundabout was able to be constructed for the gazetted route 159 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 3: for the Horrocks Highway which includes those oversized must vehicles, 160 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 3: So it was designed seen as an approved option all 161 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 3: that that section. 162 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,199 Speaker 1: So mark what you're saying in a nutshell is once 163 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 1: it's all completed, trucks won't face and traffic in general 164 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: won't face the issues that have existed there over the 165 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: last little while. 166 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 3: That's correct. So we're expecting completion on that roundabout between 167 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:21,679 Speaker 3: early to mid October. So once that's southbound section is complete, why. 168 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:23,319 Speaker 1: Does it take so long to build a roundabout. 169 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:28,440 Speaker 3: We're working very heavily with the developers. We've actually the 170 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 3: developers engaged a traffic engineering experts help push this one along. 171 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 3: We've been a bit concerned with obviously, so with Stephen 172 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 3: and moving that along. So we've been engaging quite heavily 173 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 3: with the developer and the construction companies to ensure that 174 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:44,720 Speaker 3: this gets completed on times with a little disruption to 175 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 3: the public as we go forward. 176 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 1: Do you think, in hindsight it's wise to outsource roundabouts 177 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: on highways to developers? 178 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 3: It's an interesting question. 179 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 2: Pretty much, that's what you've done built. 180 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:00,840 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, but all our building, all our works effectively 181 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 3: to contractors. 182 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 1: Really okay, so what bitumizing? Everything is outsourced, so they bid. 183 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:12,680 Speaker 3: Forritten construction works that they're done externally to the department processes. 184 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 1: So you just oversee it, tick it off and hope 185 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 1: for the best. 186 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, So it's the value and sure it's correct. You 187 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 3: make sure there's lots of tests involved. There's a lot 188 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 3: of specifications around performance. 189 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: Outcomes that hasn't worked well. Always has it? Though, When 190 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 1: you think of the intersection of Fullerton Road and Glen 191 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: Osmond Road and the fact work went on there for 192 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 1: years because when you ticked off all that not you personally, 193 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 1: I guess when the department ticked off on the project. 194 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: Initially there were serious shortfalls with stom water drains and 195 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 1: the rest, so it had to be essentially redone. 196 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:51,719 Speaker 3: Well, I wish I can't come on that long, so 197 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:53,680 Speaker 3: I don't know the details relations to that junction. 198 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, but certainly you know that obviously wasn't done properly 199 00:10:57,640 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: the first time, which is why work went on as 200 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: long as it did around there. But all right, I 201 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 1: won't won't hassle you anymore, Mark, appreciate your time on 202 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 1: this one, and look forward to that being completed. I'm 203 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: sure the locals will as well, and certainly truggies will 204 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:13,320 Speaker 1: as they move through the Horrics Highway around Roseworthy. 205 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 3: Yep, that's there, certainly doing. We encourage any minister parties 206 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:19,679 Speaker 3: to spend any public consultation there might be coming up. 207 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 3: All right, man, consider any feedback, So spank it very 208 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:22,319 Speaker 3: much and. 209 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 1: That's happening tomorrow. I understand there's a meeting in the area. 210 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:25,719 Speaker 1: Is the department going to believe it? 211 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 3: No, no, I don't believe the tom will be there, 212 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 3: but certainly we would encourage all the feedback from that 213 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 3: consultation process and would sertainly review it with eagerness. 214 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:38,440 Speaker 1: All right, thank you for your time. Mark ELM's very 215 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 1: eager Manager Delivery Strategy at the Department for Infrastructure and Transport.