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The Banjup Residents Group has been campaigning since 2014 to deter heavy trucks and through traffic from Banjup’s roads. At almost every meeting of BRG members in the Banjup Hall we have discussed traffic and what to do about it.

In 2019, we thought that we were making progress with the Cardno traffic study that recommended several road “treatments” such as “modified T-intersections” and blisters on the through routes of Liddelow and Beenyup. We discussed this at length in the BRG meetings in the years since. However, the City of Cockburn has been reluctant to take those recommendations further.

Since mid 2023 there has been a change in personnel and attitude at the City of Cockburn. They are now more cognisant of the need to preserve Banjup’s rural amenity as mandated by Councillors in the “Banjup Preservation Principles” that include:

The intended function of the roads in Banjup is for traffic within its local area and not for traffic between outside areas and they will be managed as such.

City officers have engaged constructively with the BRG Committee to find ways of reducing through traffic. However, the City is bound by the rules of Main Roads WA that are very prescriptive about traffic management treatments.

Apparently, the recommended modified T-intersections would require extensive street lighting, kerbing, drainage, and modified property driveways along the length of Liddelow Road, at least. City officers have told Councillors that such works could cost $20 million, which would be a “grave financial impost” on the City and is three times the City’s roads budget for 2023-24.

It would be unrealistic of Banjup residents to expect Councillors of the City of Cockburn to approve such a large sum on traffic management in Banjup. Accordingly, the BRG Committee reluctantly agreed that the recommendations of the Cardno report are not appropriate and that alternative traffic management measures must be devised.

Cockburn officers liaised with the Committee to develop alternative treatments to reduce traffic through Banjup. Officers advised that Main Roads WA might favour a proposal that speeds on all Banjup streets be limited to 60 kph, except for Liddelow Road, which would be limited to 70 kph. Such reductions could divert some through traffic to faster roads.

Main Roads WA requires that “threshold statements” would need to be put in place at all Banjup entry points and would signify to roads users that they are entering a different area and should expect different road conditions, including lower speeds. Threshold statements would include not only signage but also changes in road surface and width and the planting of tall trees.

At its September 2013 meeting, the Council of the City of Cockburn unanimously approved the proposal to design measures to make Banjup a “Local Area Speed Zone”. This would see all roads in Banjup limited to 60 kph, except for Liddelow Road which would be 70 kph. Cockburn’s Traffic Manager anticipates that the slower speeds would divert some through traffic onto faster roads elsewhere.

After 10 years of lobbying the City of Cockburn, this is the first practical measure to deter traffic that they have offered and look like implementing. It may not be all we wanted but it is a first step. Besides, freeway speeds are not compatible with the rural idyllic that we are trying to preserve and promote.

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The City of Cockburn put the traffic management proposals out for public consultation to all Banjup residents from 28 February to 15 March 2024. At the BRG AGM on 10 March, members voted overwhelmingly to support the proposals. The officers' report to Council will likely be made to its meeting in May 2024.