BATEMANS Bay Chamber of Commerce has maintained its neutral stance on the debate surrounding a new set of traffic lights at the North and Perry Street intersection, despite some heavy objections raised at this week’s meeting.
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Chamber president Natasha Driscoll told Wednesday night’s meeting some Chamber members and other stakeholders would meet with council on February 18 to discuss the controversial plans further.
The meeting was called after council halted the project in November, saying more consultation was needed.
Eurobodalla Shire Council initially proposed to install traffic lights at the Batemans Bay intersection to increase safety for pedestrians.
Ms Driscoll said the Chamber as a whole wasn’t for or against the decision because it was waiting for further information.
“We can’t have an informed discussion because we only know half the story,” she told Chamber members.
“If we’re going to make a motion we need to go in with both sides of the story.”
However, she asked other members to express their views.
Interested resident Ken Blunden, of Lilli Pilli, said traffic lights weren’t needed.
Instead, he called for a traffic refuge to be built along North Street to help pedestrians, similar to the ones along Perry Street.
Gold Rush Colony’s Maureen Nathan said the Long Beach Association was completely against the project and that people from the north side of Batemans Bay would shop in Ulladulla if the traffic lights were installed.
She said it would be chaos at Christmas time.
Retailer Dixie Schafrin said there were already lights at KFC and motorists already got caught exiting the Woolworths carpark.
“All of North Street is congested the whole time,” she said. “It’s going to be an absolute nightmare.”
Meanwhile, businesswoman Robin Innes said: “I think everyone should be grateful for what they’ve got”.
Ms Driscoll said as a Chamber, they had to remain neutral until the meeting with council and other stakeholders later this month.