Last year in September, in response to the growing complaints that I received over traffic congestion, safety issues and parking complaints in the Mansfield area I launched the Mansfield Area Traffic Survey (MATS).

The survey aimed to measure local residents attitudes, values and opinions on traffic issues in and around Mansfield and was open to residents in adjacent suburbs as well.

After collecting more than 250 responses over the course of a month, it’s clear to see what residents are thinking.

Traffic volumes

More than 88% of residents agreed that the volume of through traffic and rat-running down Ham Road during peak hours was a major issue.

In addition, 92% agreed that road infrastructure around the school had reached a breaking point.

Most comments on this reflected that the roads had reached their capacity several years prior, especially during school pick-up and drop-off times. Unfortunately, any further expansion of Ham Rd or Broadwater Rd would see residents lose on-street parking as well as land resumptions that would balloon costs due to the high demand for property in Mansfield.

88% of residents agreed that the intersection of Ham Rd and Broadwater Rd required improvements, with many citing the left turn onto Broadwater Rd from Ham as a major issue. Based on feedback, however, it is evident that improving the traffic issues in Mansfield requires more than just road improvements around both schools.

The impact of the schools

Residents were interested in the State Government capping enrolment levels at the schools and then working on the local infrastructure, rather than just encouraging unfettered growth at these two schools. 74% of residents indicated overwhelming support for the introduction of an enrolment cap at both Mansfield state schools to control the parking and congestion issues.

The State Government continues to facilitate unchecked growth in both schools and ignores the parking situation that residents face. In my previous article, I mentioned that Mansfield primary exceeds its maximum capacity by nearly 40% and that Mansfield State High exceeds its maximum capacity by more than 25%.

Until such a time as the State Government enforces an enrolment cap, it’s clear that residents have little faith that the situation will improve. Indeed, 87% of residents believe it isn’t fair for the State Government to invest millions in buildings inside the school and nothing on the local roads.

Whilst I stand in support of the school in protecting the safety of their students and staff, I won’t support the State’s Government’s facilitation of unchecked growth and exceeded maximum capacities at Mansfield State School and Mansfield State High School.

I want to be clear, the school does an incredible job with the number of students already enrolled, but how much longer can it continue to grow? It is already the second biggest school in the state by enrolment. The results of this survey show that residents are fed up with Mansfield’s lifestyle being placed at risk by the never-ending expansion of these schools.

Opportunities for improvement

But it isn’t all bad news, residents identified a number of opportunities for improvement, some of which have already started. As many residents noted, Council recently committed $12 million to the nearby intersection upgrade of Newnham & Wecker Rd which will see the widening of the existing road and additional infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians. 74% of surveyed residents agreed that the Newnham & Wecker Rd intersection upgrade is an important piece of infrastructure for the community in improving the safety of a notoriously dangerous intersection.

This is good news, and pleasing to know that Council’s investments in road infrastructure in and around Mansfield are being appreciated by the wider community. However, the survey results make it clear that residents don’t believe traffic issues surrounding Mansfield can’t be fixed solely with large spending on road infrastructure.

The survey was also interested in the type of traffic using roads in and around Mansfield. We asked whether respondents supported the current ability for heavy vehicles to use Ham Road to connect between Broadwater and Wecker Roads. In response 89% of survey respondents who said that heavy vehicles and school students don’t mix. This indicates there is strong support for a load limit along Ham Road, to better separate heavy vehicle traffic from school students, to improve safety.

As the Chair of the Council’s Public and Active Transport Committee, I am a strong advocate for the benefits of public and active travel, particularly for schools. It seems like Mansfield residents are too! The results illustrated that 73% of surveyed residents agree that more emphasis should be placed on public and active travel, such as supporting cyclists, pedestrians and buses. As such, I will continue, over the next few years especially, to install more footpaths and more bikeways to the Mansfield area to encourage local residents and Mansfield students to travel actively.

Looking forward

The Mansfield Area Traffic Survey has generated some clear feedback for the Council and State Government to consider. There are four clear deliverables that the community would like to see implemented.

1) The State Government should implement an enrolment cap at Mansfield State School and Mansfield State High School.

2) Council should revise its Traffic Management Plan for the school to ensure it is up to date and taking into consideration all the streets affected by school traffic.

3) Council and the State Government should place greater emphasis and investment into public and active transport options around Mansfield.

4) Council should implement a load limit on Ham Road to remove heavy vehicle traffic from around the school and address traffic volume concerns.

I will immediately begin to work on these priorities to ensure that Council takes into account community wishes.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Mansfield Area Traffic Survey (MATS) and provided such useful feedback.