In 2013 we spoke to the local community about our plan to improve the intersection of West Street and Glenroy Road. The project did not go ahead due to community and trader feedback that any significant loss of car parking would impact the viability of the shops. The major upgrade works would have involved the loss of up to 12 car parks.

For this reason, we have carefully identified a range of traffic safety improvements for the West Street / Glenroy Road / Geum Street intersection that prioritises safety for all road users – including cars, cyclists and pedestrians – while also at the same time keeping the loss of car park spaces to an absolute minimum.

We heard that car parking is a key concern and so the proposed design concept keeps as many carparks directly in front of the West Street shops as possible. In summary:

3 car parks would be removed from the service road. This would help to:

• Realign one dog-legged crossing and make it more direct
• Improve visibility of 2 pedestrian crossings and provide increased refuge spaces to pedestrians

1 parallel park on West Street has been removed to improve sightlines to the pedestrian crossing on West Street.

This car park loss is balanced with the creation of 3 new car parks located on the service road.

• 2 new car parks have been added in the design at the closure of the exit point from the service road to West Street in front Payless Gifts. This exit and entry point is used less frequently than other entries/ exits

• 1 new car park has been added at the northern end of the service road where enough space is available

This would mean a total net loss of 4 car parks within the shops.

The Woolworths supermarket and associated car park is a private landholding and not under Council control.

Although car parking in and around West Street is busy at peak times there is parking available in side streets including Eileen, Middle, Geum, Stella and Glenroy Streets, all just a short walk to the shops. While the design balances the customers and visitors to the centre via car we are also responding to community feedback that more needs to be done to improve the safety and access for pedestrians.

Council has no plans to buy or repurpose sites in or around the centre to provide for additional car parking spaces.

Where possible existing footpaths will be left in place, but pressure washed clean. Not replacing footpaths will dramatically reduce disruption. During the improvements we will ensure that contractors regularly communicate with traders and that all traders know who to speak to with concerns.

We heard that clean bins and footpaths are important to the presentation of the shops. Council is working to address concerns on street cleansing across all our shopping strips.

Bicycle infrastructure upgrades would require a major reconfiguration of the Glenroy Road and West Street intersection. The Concept Plan configuration will leave open the opportunity for bike path upgrades in the future.

The concept plan includes improvements to arrival points for cyclists, including safer crossings, more bike parking facilities.

Council sought traffic advice on the potential to close of a portion of Eileen Street for community use. We found that two-way vehicle traffic is essential to the function of the local street network. Wider footpaths on either side of this intersection provides more space for shaded seating areas and will slow traffic moving between West Street and Eileen Street making it safer for everyone.

Undergrounding all the powerlines is beyond the budget of this project. Council will investigate converting one low voltage powerline to an aerial bundled cable. This change is more affordable and could make space to plant much larger and shadier street trees.

The existing trees are relatively small, provide little benefit in terms of shade and are in some cases unsafe due to eye level branches. Council will propose more appropriate street tree species within the centre to maximise green canopy, shade and allow for improved sightlines throughout the centre.