When the cat’s away it seems the rats do come out and play. During my brief sojourn up to Loxton this week I missed all the excitement.

What a time not to be here. Storm activity disrupted power supply and the discovery of structural concerns on the tram overpass over South Road has been high at all media outlets.

Storms and Power Disruption

The storms disrupted power to residents of Clarence Park, including ourselves. This was the fortunate part of being away. The blackout that hit 112 homes did not impact on my wife and I. Well apart from a fridge and freezer full of food that had to be thrown away.

Tram Overpass

I missed also the disruption caused to traffic using South Road. The Government, through DPTI, undertook an unscheduled inspection and repair of the tram overpass. Everyone by now is aware that one of 5 beams is leaning out.

Temporary bracing repairs are well under way as I draft this question without notice. It looks like disruption to commuter traffic and to our local residents and businesses will soon be over, temporarily of course.

When the time comes to effect a permanent solution traffic disruptions will be the order of the day again. Who knows for how long on that occasion.

I will be asking Council’s administration a question without notice at our next Coucnil meeting on Monday night. It concerns the future disruption to commuters and therefore the residents and businesses of Unley when permanent repairs or rebuild occurs.

I will be asking:

What will Council’s administration be doing to assist or direct DPTI in managing the diversion of traffic and in particular heavy vehicles through our streets to minimise inconvenience to residents and businesses alike.

Can we not only take a proactive role in determining with DPTI the least inconvenient detours but request also DPTI to alert residents and businesses alike by letter box drop or other such communication or do so ourselves as a service to the Black Forest, Everard Park, Clarence Park, Millswood and Forestville communities.

PS

Can I ask everyone who reads this blog (or the Facebook link to this blog) to support the Black Forest Shopping Centre businesses who have suffered more than we residents with a savage hit to their hip pocket.