At May’s monthly council meeting councillors received a recommendation from the Harden Shire Traffic Committee who have asked council to reduce Albury Street’s 60km per hour speed limit to 50km, a move all councillors were in favour of.

Not only were all councillors in favour of the speed limit proposal but Roads and Traffic Authority have also said they would support council if they pursued the reduction.

Also raised through the traffic committee’s report presented at the meeting was the need to address the current parking arrangements along Albury St predominately in the Murrumburrah CBD area.

Councillors were advised in the traffic committee meeting minutes that there had been a number of informal close calls (accidents) and near misses especially in the zone from Bathurst St to Lyons St with regards to the 45 degree reverse angle parking.

At present there is a mix of parking arrangements on Albury St with the majority of the parking parallel, with other parking including 60 degree rear to kerb at Harden pool, 45 degree rear to kerb in Murrumburrah shopping area and 90 degree nose

in parking around the Whichcraft area.

RTA and police have proposed that nose in 45 degree parking arrangements could be the solution, due to the quick maneuver off the travelling lane. This type of parking would also have no effect on current parking space numbers.

The committee agreed to the RTA and police proposal recommended the idea to council of nose in parking to replace the current rear end parking, which raised a lot of debate amongst councillors.

Agreeing there was an issue with the current parking situation was Mayor Chris Manchester who said he’d heard a few stories on near accidents and lucky misses in the Murrumburrah area.

“There is increased traffic flow and heavy vehicles on that part of Albury St and I truly think it’s an accident waiting to happen,” he said.

“I don’t tend to agree though with the nose in parking idea.”

Cr Manchester said council have resolved to take a closer look at the issue and parking right across the shire and will seek public comment on the issue, as the change of parking should be a shire wide decision.