We received the following comment and thought it deserved to be highlighted.

‘Reprobate’ please continue your fascinating analysis of what is wrong with Glen Eira’s Officers approach to analysis and reporting of facts and data.

I too have problems with that for a long time. I find that Glen Eira Officers use weasel manipulative words to control Councillors, communities and even the State Government MPs and bureaucrats. And their primary goal in any reporting is to make the Council look good on paper.

As to the traffic issue, it is part of the Public Realm consideration of any government. Any self respecting traffic expert will tell you that congestion have to be kept below a certain level to avoid bottlenecks and unavailability of roads. The measure is not traffic averaged over a period of time, but the number of times that a road is inaccessible and unavailable. A perfect example of that is Glenhuntly Rd from Nepean Highway to Koornang Rd. There are three intersections that illustrate that fundamental point.

Nepean Highway / Glenhuntly Rd intersection has a road overpass at Elsternwick station. That intersection has a level of congestion and Glenhuntly Rd unavailability determined by car traffic flows, tram schedule and traffic lights. This intersection should be used as a benchmark for other intersections on Glenhuntly Rd. There is clearly plenty that can be improved at that intersection, which should be driven by Council’s Engineering together with VicRoads and Yarra Trams.

The other intersection to be closely examined is Glenhuntly Rd / Hawthorn Rd in Caulfield South. There are two tram lines there and the level of congestion and road unavailability measure provides a good indicator of this area’s ability to grow its commercial and community activities. This shopping centre has a great potential for improvement, if only the Council would focus on the Public Realm elements and do a Structure Plan for the area.

Let’s consider now the disaster level crossing intersection of Frankston rail line and Glenhuntly Rd at Glen Huntly station. Any examination of that level crossing will show an unacceptable level of road unavailability and congestion. The number of times that traffic banks up from Grange Rd to Booran Rd (633 m) while the slow train arrives and leaves the station is already unsustainable. Anybody, just come during peak hours and experience it yourself. In addition this and Neerim Rd level crossings is a disaster waiting to happen as it already happened at Bentleigh station. Clearly those level crossings must be replaced with a road overpass or underpass to reduce the unacceptable level of road unavailability. The area around Glen Huntly station has also a great potential for improvement, if only the Council would do a Structure Plan as suggested by the State Government several times since 2003.

Finally, roads between intersections should have the capability to carry the traffic generated by the population of the area and the transport network within and around Glen Eira. As ‘Reprobate’ points out, the deliberate non-action of Officers leads to unsatisfactory capability of Glenhuntly Road. The width of this road is highly variable and it has some peculiar access roads onto it (eg Orrong Rd), which may have been ok for low traffic horse drawn carriages, but clearly are not ok for a modern city full of cars, trams, buses, cyclists, pedestrians and railway crossings.