Community & Business
8 December, 2021
Chicken factory road ‘crash waiting to happen’
A FRUSTRATED Mareeba resident has expressed his concerns about B-double semitrailers making their way down a Mareeba road and having to share a small, unmarked bitumen road.
Elwin Stadhams has lived at his Moody Street address for 63 years and has dealt with the noise and smell that the local Steggles factory and its trucks spread – he claims a recent traffi c incident has caused him to make a call about the road’s safety.
The trucks often come down two abreast and must ride on the shoulders of the road to avoid colliding with one another. A road sign on the street has been hit and squashed, turning it around completely.
The 84-year-old has lived in Mareeba since 1954, spending 42 years in the local Mareeba fi re brigade and he has raised concerns about the safety of the road.
“I’ve seen my fair share of road accidents and believe me this road is a potential crash waiting to happen,” Mr Stadhams said.
“This road is not fi t for this type of traffic we get big B-doubles and they’re loaded up with produce.
“It’s getting past a joke because it’s all at night, every day of the week… anytime of the night you choose.
“This row of homes and the one at the back to the golf course, is the only place in Mareeba classified as a low-density residential area.”
Mr Stadhams has called for Mareeba Shire Council (MSC) to do urgent upgrading to the road to prevent accidents or put in a new road connecting Steggles to Barret/Bower Street near the Mareeba Saleyards.
MSC Stated they have no plans to widen the road and urge residents with concerns about driver conduct to call the police.
“Moody Street is a 50km/ hour zone and it is legal for semi-trailers to travel this route,” Mayor Angela Toppin said.
“However, if residents have concerns regarding the conduct of drivers on the road I ask them to please call the police.”
