The tragic hit-and-run death of Bangalow resident Paul Campton could be the catalyst for a major road safety upgrade at the spot where he was killed.
Seven weeks after the beloved local figure was struck by a vehicle on Raftons Road near the intersection with Keith Street and Leslie Road, Byron Shire Council will vote on a suite of safety measures for the location at this week’s meeting on Thursday.
The proposed measures, contained in a motion by Labor Councillor Asren Pugh and Byron Mayor Sarah Ndiaye, also follow the delivery of a 638-signature petition from Byron Shire locals.
The petition calls for a range of strategies to address the issues at the blackspot including traffic calming measures to slow or discourage the use of Keith Street and Raftons Road to bypass Lismore Road.
Motion from councillors Pugh and Ndiaye
The proposed motion from councillors Pugh and Ndiaye involves formal recognition of this petition by Council.
However, it begins by acknowledging the ‘heartfelt loss of Paul “Campo” Campton, the deeply mourned heart and soul of his community’.
The motion then ‘affirms the urgent need to enhance pedestrian safety in his honour’.
The motion notes that Council already has plans for some of the requested safety measures, namely, the introduction of pedestrian walkways on Leslie Street and Raftons Road.
However, it reveals that there is currently no funding to move ahead with these plans.
Investigate safety issues
The most immediate action taken will be a safety audit, in a staged approach to address the safety issues.
Under the first stage of this approach, Council would seek to access up to $100,000 in fatal crash response funding.
If this money can be accessed, the plan is to reduce the speed limit on all three streets to 40km/hr, and to install electronic radar speed warning signs in both directions.
The give way sign on the intersection of Leslie Street and Raftons Road would be replaced with a ‘Stop’ sign, and new street signs or road painting signs would be introduced on Raftons Road.
In the second stage, which could be funded under the Get NSW Active program, Council would investigate replacing the existing pedestrian crossing at the intersection with a raised crossing, and introducing more appropriate street lighting.
The third stage would see Council investigate further improvements, including traffic calming measures and options to reduce traffic on Leslie Street such as the introduction of a ‘no right turn’ from Leslie Street into Granuaille Road, or from Raftons Road into Leslie Street.
Advocacy for funding
All of this would be accompanied by advocacy for funding to undertake these works, directed at various state and federal road safety programs.
In their comments on the motion, Council staff noted that the accident site is within the scope of Council’s current Get NSW Active plans for walking connections on Raftons Road, from Rifle Range Road to Leslie Street.
This would ‘provide significant safety improvements for pedestrians and cyclists on Raftons Road including at the fatal crash location’.
The death of Mr Campton continues to be a source of considerable distress and anger, as well as grief, within the Bangalow community.
Who was the driver?
In the days after the accident Mr Campton’s family and local police made a deeply emotional appeal for the driver to come forward.
‘Please, you’ve already taken our dad away from us, and we’re never going to see him again,’ Mr Campton’s daughter Marlie said in a recorded statement from the family released by NSW Police.
‘Please just have a heart.’
The Echo understands that the driver responsible for Mr Campton’s death has not yet come forward.
Police are continuing to appeal for anyone with information about the accident to contact Crime Stoppers on, 1800 333 000.
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