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Around 80 people made their presence felt at the Maclean council chambers, sometimes under threat of expulsion, as councillors made their cases for and against rescinding a previous decision to install traffic lights at the Yamba Road/Treelands Drive intersection and a subsequent successful motion to design and construct a “non conforming roundabout”. Image: Geoff Helisma.

No traffic lights for Yamba

Geoff Helisma | At last week’s extraordinary Clarence Valley Council meeting (September 4), councillors voted 5-4 to rescind their previous decision to install traffic lights at the Treelands Drive/Yamba Road intersection. Mayor Jim Simmons, who previously supported traffic lights, supported the rescission motion. Councillors subsequently voted 6-2 in support of Cr Toms’ motion to “adopt a non-conforming roundabout with an estimated cost of $500,000” and to complete its design. Councillors in favour were Karen Toms, Debrah Novak, Peter Ellem, Greg Clancy, Jim Simmons and Richie Williamson. Councillors against were Andrew Baker and Jason Kingsley. Councillor Arthur Lysaught left the meeting before the vote was taken, due to having to take his wife to a medical appointment. Councillor Williamson, who supported the traffic lights option, voted in favour of the tabled motion “for a number of reasons”. He pointed out that the code of meeting practice precludes reconsidering the rescinded option, installing traffic lights, for a period of three months from the original decision. “We need to get on with the job,” Cr Williamson said. He said he was “not satisfied” that a non-conforming roundabout was the right option; however, “it’s the only option available”.