Goulburn intersection's speed humps are 'necessary,' says Mayor

The humps were installed several weeks ago on Bourke Street, either side of the Clifford Street roundabout.

The work has drawn criticism from Goulburn man, Barry McDonald, and on social media.

Mr McDonald branded them "ridiculous" and called for their removal.

"They are completely unnecessary and annoying all motorists. The smooth approaches to the roundabout are now ruined," he wrote in a letter the editor.

"The existence of a roundabout slows traffic naturally while maintaining traffic movements at intersections and from what I have seen, Goulburn motorists are quite good at traversing through them."

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But Cr Walker said the council instigated the bumps to slow people down.

"It's about safety," he said.

"It's a busy area with the school (Goulburn Public), service station, fire station, the library and art gallery. People are crossing the road all the time, including children (and staff) from the Lady McKell (childcare centre) who come up to the library. It's all to do with slowing traffic because there's no pedestrian crossing there."

He pointed out that people also parked in Ellesmere Street and walked up to the library.

In response to comments about the expenditure, the mayor said the council already had the speed bumps in stock, though he conceded there was an initial cost.

"There's always a cost but this was 'extra stock in the shed.' Regardless of that, what price do we put on children's safety?" Cr Walker said.

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The council also wants to install the speed humps at the Goldsmith/ Bourke Street intersection. However, given Goldsmith Street's recent reclassification, state government permission is being sought for the project.

But Mr McDonald wasn't convinced by the mayor's argument. He said he'd never experienced difficulty crossing Bourke Street and pointed out that police regularly patrolled the area.

"I am hearing complaints mainly from seniors and elderly people, some of whom find it uncomfortable to drive over the speed humps even at low speed," he said.

"...Good traffic management is about keeping traffic flowing with minimal disruption. It is not about dreaming up new obstacles for motorists to encounter and be annoyed."

Mr McDonald said the council should not just "rubber stamp" recommendations from its traffic committee.

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On social media, people branded them as "stupid" and "dangerous," while one person claimed motorists were driving between them to avoid the bump. One person believed they would add to traffic congestion in an already busy area.

However another writer posted that they shouldn't be dangerous if motorists drove to conditions.

Meantime, unrelated to the speed bumps, two cars collided near the intersection at 9.15am Wednesday, September 13.

The Goulburn Post understands a woman was reversing from an angle park on the eastern side of Bourke Street, opposite the Civic Centre, when a collision occurred with a southbound utility. Both vehicles sustained significant damage.

A NSW Ambulance spokesman said a woman was taken to Goulburn Base Hospital with minor neck injuries.

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