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Traffic Calming or Traffic Hazard?Centre median parking has been introduced in some streets of Geelong, with the intention that these cars, and their occupants, be used as a “traffic calming measure”. Quoting from the minutes of the 13th April 2004 City of Greater Geelong council meeting: John McCartney, Acting General Manager Sustainable Development, added that central parking was a traffic calming measure, and motorists should be aware of the dangers of pedestrians and drive their vehicles at an appropriate speed. This statement makes it clear that the council is aware of the dangers of centre median parking. However, the council is relying on motorists to use their own judgment to travel past these cars at a safe speed. Will the motorist’s judgment always allow for the unpredictable pedestrian, perhaps a young child, who rushes to or from their car? Extensive research into traffic calming measures failed to show any literature which recommended, or even proposed, using cars and their occupants parked in the middle of the road as a traffic calming measure. From the minutes of the council meeting of 27the April 2004, we read the following questions and answers: 1) Does Council regard using centre of road parking as a traffic slowing measure as a safe option? Would it consider safer options? 2) Would the Council consider drastically lower speed limits in centre of road parking areas to safeguard pedestrians? 3) To avoid embarrassment, will the Council rectify this situation before someone is injured or killed? Terry Makings, General Manager City Services, responded that centre of the road parking is a standard feature used around Victoria. If any evidence is bought forward concerning the safety of pedestrians or others then we will look at taking appropriate measures, ie. the lowering of speed, etc. It appears that it will take a death or serious injury to make the council realise the dangerous situation that they have created. Is this the evidence that Terry Makings is waiting for?
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