Thieves leave motorists at risk on Hogans Road

10 July 2017

Batteries stolen from traffic lights at landslip

Thieves have again left motorists and the residents of Hogans Road, Upper Duroby, at risk of a serious accident after stealing the batteries out of the temporary traffic lights near a landslip on Saturday night.

The supplier of the lights, powered by a solar photovoltaic panel and backed-up by battery, has advised Council it may take as long as a week to get the traffic lights back in operation due to the damage done by the thieves.

Council has provided what protection in can to motorists by installing a ‘give-way’ sign at the end of the section that provides the greatest sight distance of the road ahead, plus placed small blinking lights at either end of the landslip. The landslip also is barriered off.

“The only other alternative we have is to close the road at the landslip, forcing residents to make a long detour around,” said Acting Senior Construction Engineer Bob Hanby.

This is the sixth pair of batteries that have been stolen from temporary traffic lights and electronic sign boards over the past two months.

“Every time this happens motorists are placed at risk of meeting another vehicle head-on on a one-way section and being forced out on to a landslip area that may not hold.

“The community should be outraged that these thieves are placing them at a heightened risk of having a serious accident or being unduly inconvenienced by a road trafficable under one-way conditions being closed due to safety concerns.

“Please report all suspicious behaviour around our worksites and depots by phoning Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Council’s after hours number 1800 818 326. Don’t confront the thieves, just make that call and give what information you can to the police.

“A vehicle parked near roadworks at night is suspicious; a vehicle towing a trailer with plant in the back at night is suspicious.”

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Caption: The slip on Hogans Road photographed immediately after the March floods and once protected by traffic lights.