Heavy Trucks and Tourists - Is This a Safe Mix?

Extract from Hahndorf Village Voice #43, 2015

      Excerpts from a letter from the Hahndorf Community Assoc to the DPTI indicated that the DPTI has dismissed the Community Association's concerns that heavy vehicles along our Main Street are a safety risk.

"For anyone who has witnessed for any length of time, the massive timber jinkers, the fuel tankers, the livestock haulage trucks and the like, floating down Pine Avenue and into the main street of Hahndorf, the potential and the absolute nearness of disaster is palpable. It literally stares you in the face.  Most restaurants and cafes have now been permitted to concentrate lines of tables along the very edge of the road, allowing little or no protection from the traffic.  With very little imagination, the consequence of mechanical failure or even a minor miscalculation, is easy to appreciate.  The resultant accident will cause significant fatalities and horrific damage...".  "We in Hahndorf will continue to raise critical issues and proffer suggested solutions.  For over 20 years we have actively addressed the heavy vehicle danger in our town.

The situation is now critical and untenable. At some stage the taxpayer funded part of the equation must accept the responsibility for the likely consequence of inaction."

HCA position on heavy trucks using Main Street as a thoroughfare to other destinations.

Hahndorf Community Association (HCA) - As adopted by HCA 11 May, 2016.

HCA has for over 25 years presented the case for removal of the right for heavy trucks to use Main Street as a through route to other places.  The difficulty in achieving this objective is acknowledged by HCA’s own description of the objective as “on its Don Quixote list”.

HCA nevertheless believes the risk to human life and safety, loss of opportunity in the Main Street for traders and loss of amenity for residents plus the threat to Hahndorf’s “Jewell in the SA Crown” tourism status justifies perseverance.

Hahndorf’s Main Street is a State Government controlled road.

The State Government’s position stated on 9^th April, 2015 is that it has no plans to ban heavy trucks from Main Street.  The Main Street is considered a vital part of the arterial network of state roads.

The position of the District Council of Mt Barker (DCMB) has not been stated to HCA.  HCA realises that it would need the support of DCMB to sensibly pursue the objective with the State Government’s Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI).

The HCA sub-committee for this issue has decided the best course of action is to summarise its position, restate the reasons for that position and resume activity with the first step being to gain the support of DCMB and the two State and Federal politicians elected to represent Hahndorf’s population.

The best way to engage DCMB is to nominate the issue as an important one, deserving priority, in the list of issues the community wishes to address in the Strategic Planning process expected to get under way in July, 2016.

If the issue is loaded up into the Hahndorf Strategic Plan, it would automatically become a DCMB supported issue requiring State Government action.

Simultaneously, approaches should be made to the State and Federal Parliamentary representatives for our area, the Members for the electorates of Heysen and Mayo, respectively.

Heavy Trucks using Main Street, Hahndorf as a thoroughfare to other destinations

Extract from Hahndorf Village Voice - Winter Edition 46, 2016

The Hahndorf Community Association (HCA) has for over 25 years presented the case for removal of the right for heavy trucks to use Main Street as a through route to other places.  The difficulty in achieving this objective is acknowledged by HCA’s own description of the objective as “on its Don Quixote list”.

HCA nevertheless believes the risk to human life and safety, loss of opportunity in the Main Street for traders and loss of amenity for residents, plus the threat to Hahndorf’s “Jewel in the SA Crown” tourism status, justifies perseverance.

Hahndorf’s Main Street is a State Government controlled road.

The State Government’s position stated on 9 th April, 2015 is that it has no plans to ban heavy trucks from Main Street.  The Main Street is considered a vital part of the arterial network of state roads.  The position of the District Council of Mt Barker (DCMB) has not been stated to HCA.  HCA realises that it would need the support of the DCMB to sensibly pursue the objective with the State Government’s Department of Planning, Transport and Industry (DPTI).

The HCA sub-committee for this issue has decided the best course of action is to summarise its position, restate the reasons for that position and resume activity with the first step being to gain the support of DCMB and the two State and Federal politicians elected to represent Hahndorf’s population.

The best way to engage DCMB is to nominate the issue as “important”, deserving priority, in the list of issues the community wishes to address in the Strategic Planning process expected to get under way in July, 2016.  If the issue is loaded up into the Hahndorf Strategic Plan, it would automatically become a DCMB supported issue requiring State Government action.  Simultaneously, approaches should be made to the State and Federal Parliamentary representatives for our area, the Members for the electorates of Heysen and Mayo, respectively.

Hahndorf Community Association