EDITOR -

I was appalled to read of the disturbances of local traders and residents occasioned by the planned overpass.

I note that two houses on Kiel Mountain Road must go and traders along the west side of what most of us locally call the Old Bruce Highway, will be disturbed to the point where they may even be forced to close down and in addition, the access to the Motel will be closed so that guests will be obliged to turn into Pine Grove Avenue and then into Acorn Lane which will increase traffic by the Primary School.

All this, it seems, to make it possible to increase the speed limit to 100km/h for a distance of 1.3 kilometres - for that is the distance from the 80 signs north of the Big Pineapple to the Motel where, it is said, the 80 zone will start again.

When all the road safety authorities agree that speed is the cause of most accidents, it would appear to be a backward step to give the motorist further opportunity to put his own life at risk for such a short distance for, indeed, the distance from the 100km/h just north of the Maroochydore Road roundabout to the 80 restriction is just about the same - 1.3km.

Surely it would be safer to maintain the 80km/h restriction for the whole stretch of road between the Maroochydore Road intersection and the point south of Diddillibah Road where 100km/h is permitted.

The original request of the local residents was, as I recall for a set of traffic control lights at the crossroads to give traffic and pedestrians from the minor roads safe access and crossing during peak hours.

These could have been installed at minimum cost to the community in a very short time instead of which consultants have been employed at great expense to suggest controls for the whole stretch between Kiel Mountain Road and McKenzie Road where another set of lights would have taken care of the peak hour traffic at that point and that much of what the consultant recommended has been ignored.

I emphasise that it is only during peak hours that the problem arises - because of the three schools in the area. I note, too, that it will be another 18 months before the work will be completed and in the meantime, the danger continues.

It seems to me that a great deal of public money has already been wasted and will be misused in order to satisfy the current fad for complicated traffic controls where simple means could equally well be used.

We seem to be committed to making provision for speed to dominate our roads rather than safety. The stretch of road is, after all, a residential/industrial area and as it is no longer a main highway since the Nambour bypass was constructed and there is no real need for 100km/h anywhere between the roundabout and McKenzie Road.

Perhaps if the 80km/h restriction was imposed for the whole stretch drivers would not be tempted quite so much to ignore the speed limit where it is required.

Can we not reconsider the proposals, leave the residents and traders where they are, and take the simple actions of installing traffic lights and a sensible speed limit.