'Someone is going to get hurt': concerned residents demand action on crash-prone intersection

Imagine dreading when the next car will go airborne, smash through your garden hedge, and land on your lawn.

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For one family in the north Canberra suburb of Ainslie, that nightmare is a regular reality. They make frequent trips to the local tip laden with car parts that have landed in their garden, and have even compiled CCTV footage of crashes outside their home titled "bad_driving".

Michelle Austin fears a serious crash is possible on the Ainslie intersection close to the primary school. Pictures by Karleen Minney, supplied

Resident Michelle Austin is one of many Ainslie locals who fear "something worse is waiting to happen" on their streets, where crashes have become an almost daily occurrence.

Residents say the spike in traffic through the quiet neighbourhood is the result of commuters bypassing ongoing renewal works on the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge.

Locals, many of them senior citizens, say they have raised serious concerns with the ACT government for years, pleading for urgent speed limit reductions, but feel their worries have been ignored.

In mid-September, the intersection of Campbell Street and Leslie Street in Ainslie was the location of two crashes in just four days.

"We have seen numerous crashes, especially over the last few years. Luckily, there have been no fatalities, but someone is going to get hurt if something isn't done soon," said Mrs Austin, who has lived at the intersection for 20 years.

"We're constantly left with car bumpers and side-mirror debris in our yard that we have to haul to the tip ourselves."

A few years ago, the Austin family formally requested that the ACT government convert the intersection's directions from a 'give way' to a 'stop' sign.

"The government told us the intersection doesn't meet the criteria for a 'stop' sign," Mrs Austin said.

The ACT government confirmed the intersection has not been identified among the top 300 priority locations requiring safety improvements across the capital.

Concern among elderly pedestrians

Locals note that several other intersections, particularly those near the local primary school, have seen repeated accidents over the years, yet no government action has been taken to reduce traffic volume or lower speed limits.

Fed-up Ainslie locals, including residents from the nearby Goodwin Village aged-care facility, have joined forces to launch a neighbourhood traffic-calming campaign dubbed 'Make Our Suburb Safe' (MOSS).

MOSS spokesperson and resident Kayelle Drinkwater said traffic through Ainslie has surged since the bridge works began.

"There is a major issue with near-misses alongside the actual accident statistics," Ms Drinkwater said.

There were two bad crashes within four days of each other in mid-September on one road in Ainslie. Picture supplied

"Concern is highest among residents on streets that informally provide an alternative route to Limestone Avenue namely Bonney, Paterson, Campbell, Officer, Ebden, and Duffy streets. However, virtually all Ainslie residents are affected, whether they are motorists, cyclists, or pedestrians."

Ainslie resident and Independent MLA Thomas Emerson has repeatedly called for urgent road safety measures in the suburb, focusing heavily on pedestrian safety along Cowper Street. Mr Emerson personally drove past the aftermath of a collision on Campbell Street September.

In a formal letter to Minister for City and Government Services Tara Cheyne, Mr Emerson wrote: "Drivers appear not to be giving way at this intersection, causing concern to local residents and creating a safety hazard for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists alike. Worryingly, this intersection is also proximal to a crossing for Ainslie School students."

Like many concerned locals, Mr Emerson remains in the dark regarding the outcome of the Cowper Street Safe Systems Assessment, which was conducted by the government in 2023 to evaluate safety interventions, including lower speed limits.

Speed limit to change

Responding to the community backlash, an ACT government spokesperson said they had been engaging with residents regarding traffic flow in the area surrounding Goodwin Ainslie.

"Under the Australian Government's Black Spot Program, the whole of Cowper Street will soon become a 50 km/h zone, with the exception of the area near the bus stops and the Dickson Swimming Pool, which will form part of the 40 km/h group centre speed limit," the spokesperson said.

Despite numerous crashes, the ACT government told the residents the Ainslie intersection doesn't meet the criteria for a Stop sign. Picture Supplied

"As part of this work, additional traffic-calming devices like speed humps will provide better compliance to support the lower speed limit and improve safety for all road users."

The spokesperson added that the government is engaging a consultant for the design phase of the Black Spot project, with physical construction work slated to follow in 2027.

"A raised pedestrian crossing will be installed on Angus Street adjacent between Goodwin Ainslie and the Ainslie Oval, connecting to the Garden City Cycleway Stage 1."

Addressing the intersection where the Austins live, the spokesperson defended the decision not to install a 'stop' sign.

Mrs Austin wants better safety measures at the intersection near her home. Picture by Karleen Minney

"Stop signs at the nearby intersections of Leslie Street and Eden Street, and Leslie Street and Duffy Street have also been installed due to road curvature and associated sight-distance constraints," the spokesperson said.

"Whereas Campbell Street approaches this intersection on a straight alignment and therefore do not have the sight distance constraints meaning the existing Give Way control remains the most appropriate control type."

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