Cowaramup’s Lisa Bell continues fight for overhaul of growing town’s traffic problems

Cowaramup mother Lisa Bell says she won’t give up her fight to have the township’s traffic woes fixed. The former State planner has pushed Main Roads WA and the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River to broker a permanent solution to challenges for motorists and pedestrians in the fast-growing town. But so far, Ms Bell said she was only disappointed the agencies wouldn’t take responsibility for a lack of forward planning for what had turned into a regular traffic nightmare for commuters as well as children walking to school. So far, Main Roads had monitored the situation with fixed cameras and the Shire had committed to a traffic study, though the timeframe was pushed into later this year. “Road safety in Cowaramup should be prioritised by State and local government,” Ms Bell said. “A major highway cuts the town in half, and traffic volumes are ever increasing. “There is a general sentiment in town that the Shire and Main Roads won’t take action until a kid gets hit by a truck. That is the trajectory that we are heading for.” Cowaramup had a much higher percentage of families than the shire average, Ms Bell noted, and with more houses coming online, what she wanted was a comprehensive plan to overhaul traffic in the town centre as a one-time permanent fix. The contentious pedestrian crossing was only part of the problem, but needed relocation to avoid forcing school kids to navigate the busy Hall Road entry, and cut down on confusion for motorists and visitors crossing the highway during peak times. Ms Bell’s call had the backing of Vasse MLA Libby Mettam and a broad swathe of residents, but in response to questions, Shire sustainable development and infrastructure director Nick Logan only pointed to “some minor safety improvements” flagged in the 2023-24 council budget. A Main Roads spokesperson said three cameras set-up for seven days failed prove the case for major works. “Main Roads advised the data did not indicate a high level of pedestrian movements,” the agency said. “Main Roads is also aware the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River is undertaking a traffic study, which will provide additional information on the various traffic issues.” Ms Bell remained disappointed and frustrated at the failure to plan for future growth, noting infrastructure budgets required long lead-in periods before actual change could occur. “Anyone that drives through town on a regular basis knows how much of a circus Bussell Highway has become,” she said. “When it comes to providing safe roads for our community, it seems that the Shire and Main Roads have been asleep at the wheel.” Mr Logan said ongoing investigation was also occurring alongside the RAC’s safer speeds trial, and residents would have the chance to contribute to the traffic study and identify key concerns.