Fix the Pacific Highway!

THE death of local woman Annie Vagg at a Coffs Harbour intersection has understandably focussed attention on the design of the notorious cutting.

Coffs Harbour City Council is hitting back at the RTA for palming off responsibility about the Hurley Drive and Pacific Highway intersection, where the 52-year-old Bundagen mother was killed on Tuesday.

The Coffs Coast Advocate published a letter from the RTA that was responding to resident Susanne Tuennecke, who voiced her concerns about the intersection to the authority.

The letter said: "Coffs Harbour City Council is responsible for approving development in this area.  The RTA is currently working with council to investigate options for improved access at Hurley Drive.

"When the council approved the original subdivision off Hurley Drive, the RTA was consulted and agreed with council that the intersection needed to be 'reconfigured'.

In July 2008, when another block of land was given the green light for redevelopment, council recommended that a further set of traffic lights be installed before any development took place.

The RTA 'concurred' with this condition, however, both the reconfiguration and lights are still under discussion.

With the tit-for-tat blame game continuing, the Member for Coffs Harbour Andrew Fraser said that the community is 'sick of the deaths'.

Since the start of the year, nine of the 17 road deaths in the Coffs/Clarence Local Area Command have been on the Pacific Highway.

"The RTA can't dodge its responsibility," Mr Fraser said.

"It's high time they remember they're public servants."

The RTA declined to comment.

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