Councillor Don Palmer Providing Local Leadership & Working for You

Great news last week from the State Government. Patronage of the Belair train using Millswood Station to alight and embark has been beyond their expectations. As a result the station will remain open with the trial now complete.

The Federal Government however through it’s rail department ARTC will be closing the dog track which provides access to the station from the west side of Goodwood Road.

 

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ARTC sign. closed until further notice

I have held the view that patronage of the Belair train using Millswood Station would, in the main, be from residents of Clarence Park and Millswood west of Goodwood Road. Ensuring the safety of these people was an important ingredient behind the repair to the footbridge we at Unley did early last year.  We spent good money to make sure the footbridge was safe to use.

Since the track was closed late last week I have already received three calls from residents concerned about the closure. Unfortunately there is not much Jennie and I can do about this as the track belongs to ARTC and the Federal Government.

We were given advanced warning of the pending closure and told it would be a permanent closure in response to our asking our management to push ARTC to make the dog track safe. Their response spend as little as possible and remove access to the threat rather than modify the environment to make it safe.

There is not much Jennie & I can do about this as it is  a federal government issue not a local government issue. That is short of us supporting any effort on your part to lobby our local member Kate Ellis for the track to remain open and be made safe. If you are reading this blog and feel the same as the three residents who have contacted me already I suggest you door knock your neighbours and get up a petition.

Jennie and I can back you with this but be assured you will need Kate on your side if you wish the track to remain open.

In the meantime what I have done is ask our management to seek confirmation from ARTC of their intentions because the sign does not say permanent, it infers temporary. And as the picture below shows their efforts to prevent access are timid at best.

Not stopping many from accessing.

Not stopping many from accessing.