Sideling safety concerns heighten

By Taylor Clyne

Concerns are being voiced by frequent users of the Sideling road regarding the lack of essential maintenance being completed particularly as winter approaches.
Deputy Mayor Dale Jessup said he was particularly disappointed that hazards hadn’t been addressed following a registered service inquiry made earlier this month.
“Two large culverts have been blocked since the start of March, the road floods quite badly every time we get a decent spout of rain and it’s becoming increasingly more dangerous,” he said.
“There is a reasonable amount of water that forms across the road that gets quite deep, drivers are dodging around it but it’s a blind corner which concerns me.
“State Growth have now put signs up alerting that there is a traffic hazard instead of fixing the issue, they just need to do something about it,” Cr Jessup said.
Alongside the culverts, warning lights situated on either end of the Sideling alerting drivers of oncoming trucks have also been ‘out of action’ for longer than twelve months.
Instead of fixing the safety feature, State Growth placed a sign over the top stating they are ‘not currently working’ to the outrage of daily commuters. 
A State Growth spokesperson explained that the technology which supports the warning lights and sign on the Sideling is now outdated.
“The Department is currently reviewing these, and similar warning signs across the state, with the aim of upgrading to contemporary and supported technology over the coming year.
“The culverts on the Sideling, on the Tasman Highway between Scottsdale and Launceston, are cleared of debris annually before winter as part of the Department of State Growth’s maintenance program.
“These works will start in coming weeks,” the spokesperson said. 
“The Department welcomes the reporting of any issue that presents a real or potential risk to road users and members of the public are able to report these on 1300 139 933.”