Rodney Stevens

A group of Lawrence residents who have garnered support from 19 local community organisations are concerned Clarence Valley Council’s draft Active Transport Strategy ATS has not prioritised vital accesses and footpaths in the town that could leave pedestrians potentially in danger for more than a decade.

A massive amount of local support is behind the Lawrence Pathways Initiative LPI from residents and community groups including Lawrence Public School Teachers and P and C, The Lawrence General Store, The Lawrence Fishing, Cricket, and Golf Clubs’, The Lawrence Tavern, Lawrence SES members, The Lawrence Community Pre-School, The Lawrence Uniting Church and the Lawrence Historical Society, who are fighting to ensure pedestrians have safe passage around the town.

The CV Independent was contacted by a Lawrence Pathways Initiative member who said residents are becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of footpaths and road crossings in the town.

On a daily walk around Lawrence, residents say they encounter fully laden quarry tip trucks with trailers, sugar cane trucks, heavy vehicles including logging trucks, plus local traffic including vehicles towing trailers at speeds of up to 80km/h, on local roads without footpaths or crossings.

The LPI predict it is only a matter of time until a tragic incident occurs, due to the number school and preschool children, parents, mothers with strollers, elderly residents and junior cricket players being forced to walk, ride, or use disability mobility scooters along roads.

Of particular concern is a 2,629-metre footpath along the vital link of Richmond Street, listed as the lowest priority on the draft TAS, which is the main access route north via Pringles Way to the Summerland Way, and is estimated to currently cost $920,000, but is proposed to be completed in Stage 3 of the Transport Strategy.

Projects listed in Stage 3 of the TAS have a completion timeframe of the next 10-to-20 years and include both 23.7km of footpaths and 99.4km of cycleways, with cost estimates of $9.65 million (footpaths) and $28.18 million (cycleways).

The LPI says Lawrence has not been properly represented in the draft TAS and they can’t understand the logic when extensive cycling networks around other towns take precedence over safety related village pathways.

“To propose to the Lawrence residents that a single pathway with safer crossings will not be provided for between 10 and 20 years is unacceptable,” LPI stated in their submission to council.

The public are invited to make submissions to council on the draft Active Transport Strategy until 4pm on March 28.

For information and to make a submission visit https://www.clarence.nsw.gov.au/On-exhibition/Draft-Active-Transport-Strategy-2024-%E2%80%93-2044