Residents warn road death inevitable as Cowaramup listed twice in RAC Risky Roads survey

WA’s RAC has identified Cowaramup’s busy town centre as one of the State’s riskiest regional roads and intersections in a damning new report. The 2022 Risky Roads report found key locations familiar to Capes motorists earn the unwanted gongs, with Bussell Highway near Capel and at Sues Road near Yalyalup, as well as Caves Road at Yallingup’s Beach Road intersection included in the dire list. Cowaramup’s confusing pedestrian crossing as well as the impractical design and long wait times at the intersection with Memorial Drive were the sixth- and seventh-worst locations identified in the regional list. The honours were handed out after Main Roads WA recently completed a review of speeds in the Cowaramup town centre, which included numerous new signs recently lambasted as “a schemozzle” by local councillor and former Shire president Ian Earl. An RAC spokeswoman told the Times the Cowaramup ranking came as a result of submissions from residents. Feedback from Cowaramup showed the crossing continued to be a problem for residents as well as tourists, with the Times previously reporting on difficulties overcoming bureaucracy to improve the crossing. “We need a proper pedestrian crossing here,” one resident said. “There is a designated school crossing, but pedestrians consider it a designated crossing even though signage advises pedestrians to give way to traffic. “Further confusion arises when a vehicle from one direction stops and the vehicle from the other direction does not stop.” Other residents warned “This road needs to change or someone on foot will be killed”. The narrow and busy road, especially during peak tourism season, often saw motorists perform risky three-point turns, residents noted in their submissions. “Many children need to cross this road to get to school and I have witnessed near-misses on several occasions where children cross without checking,” another submission said. “This section desperately needs a much safer crossing.” RAC external relations general manager Will Golsby said Road Safety Commission data consistently showed the South West was over-represented in road deaths. “More than 60 per cent of the State’s road fatalities occur in regional WA, despite it being home to just 20 per cent of the population,” he said. “Too many people are killed and seriously injured on country roads every day and through this survey the people of regional WA have made a strong statement in the fight for better roads,” Mr Golsby said. “No one knows our roads better than the people who drive, ride, walk or cycle on them every day — whether it’s a confusing layout, or a speed limit that’s too high.” Bussell Highway and Capel Drive was named the second-worst intersection. The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River said had passed on feedback about Cowaramup’s new speed limits to Main Roads WA which was contacted for comment. The Augusta-Margaret River Shire and City of Busselton recently entered into a fully funded $1 million agreement with RAC to undertake a review of shonky roads and rural speed limits across the Capes as part of a pilot program focused on advocacy for lower speed limits across the State.