Considerable danger is posed to walkers and motorists along the Channel Highway at Kettering due to the lack of a pedestrian path between Oyster Court and Oxleys Road.
The Kingborough Chronicle visited the site on March 3 to examine the area of concern and speak with members of the Kettering and Snug community.
During the site visit, numerous vehicles travelling south were witnessed passing over the double diving line, into the oncoming traffic lane, to avoid pedestrians walking northward toward the Kettering Community Hall.
Walkers are required to walk on the side of the road, with no separation from cars.
The Kettering community are seeking signatures from Channel, Kingborough and Houn Valley voters on a petition, to bring the dangerous situation to attention of the President and Members of the Parliament of Tasmania’s Legislative Council.
The petition is seeking Tasmanian Government support for the construction of approximately 200 metres of footpath on the Crown Land that sits above the Channel Highway in the area between Oyster Court and Oxleys Rd.
Local groups leading the call for action include the Kettering Community Association and Kettering Walkers group.
Kettering Community Association’s Dr Heather Gluyas is noted as the Principal Petitioner and Member for Huon, Dr Bastian Seidel MLC is sponsoring the petition on behalf of the local community.
“The Channel Highway in this area is very narrow, but carries a high volume of vehicular traffic,” states the petition.
“Cars are often seen having to swerve around the pedestrians into the lane of the other side of the road, as well as pedestrians having to jump to safety into the ditch beside the road.
“This is fraught with danger to both pedestrians and also to the vehicular traffic and inevitably a serious accident will occur.
“The road is part of a circular link to the Trial Bay Track, however there is no pedestrian path, so walkers are required to walk on the side of the road with no separation from the cars.”
Pedestrians from Kettering and surrounding areas utilise this part of the road to access Trial Bay from Kettering.
Kettering Walkers’ walking organiser Elspeth Haughie said one of the walking group members had fallen along the section of road.
“One of our walkers fell one day and ended up in hospital,” said Ms Haughie.
Ms Haughie also noted the difficulty and danger faced by parents and grandparents pushing prams.
Ms Haughie said the walking group and community association had worked for several years to raise awareness and push for support to complete the circular link.
“We’ve been trying since 2018,” said Ms Haughie.
The Kettering Walkers group is a Heart Foundation of Australia registered walking group.
Ms Haughie said 500 signatures are needed.
Given the small population of Kettering, Ms Haughie said additional signatures were needed from elsewhere, including woodbridge, Snug and the wider Channel and Huon region.
Hard copies of the petition are available at the Kettering Post Office, the Kettering Community Hall, the Steamhouse Café and the general store.
An electronic petition, or e-petition, is available at https://lcepetitions.parliament.tas.gov.au/lcepet/Home/PetitionDetails/37?title=Petition%20Details
As at March 7, the e-petition had gained 151 signatures.
The closing date for signatures is Friday, March 19.
Pictured, a group of Kettering walkers rest over a culvert that runs adjacent to the Channel Highway at Kettering on March 3. The lack of a pedestrian path between Oyster Court and Oxleys Road poses a considerable danger to pedestrians and motorists.
