Great Eastern Highway dangers

Dear Echo News,

Your article Four signs for road safety highlights the dangers of Great Eastern Highway in Greenmount, particularly near the Scott Street intersection.

I grew up near there, and that intersection has become increasingly more risky over the years, to the extent that consideration should perhaps be given to restricting right turns on to the highway, as well as reducing the maximum speed.

However, the bigger issue is the fact that we still have the state’s primary interstate highway and road freight route interacting with numerous local roads, and household driveways, in Greenmount and elsewhere in the Shire of Mundaring.

To overcome this far from ideal situation, the ‘Orange’ route was selected as a new route for a safer road after a thorough process in the late 1980s.

Now known as Eastlink WA, the sooner it is built, the better.

J Day
Woodbridge

Abandoned trolleys are not a trial
Dear Echo News,

Unreal to believe the City of Swan mayor would not understand the policies of the council she leads.

The mayor referred to the most recent program to collect dumped shopping trolleys as a ‘trial’ over Christmas - an outdated and inaccurate claim.

In reality, the council initiated a trial back in 2020, which was later expanded citywide due to its success.

Following these successful trials, the council amended its local laws in 2023 to make the collection of abandoned trolleys an endorsed program, which it now is.

Her claim there was no push for retailers to collect their trolleys ignores a history of documented trials and discussions with retailers in council records.

Disappointing.

Next time, check the facts before speaking on live radio.

J Murray
Aveley

Stopping trolleys solution
Dear Echo News,

Why are the retail stores being charged for what idiotic customers do?

I think Coles Swan View and Woolworths Subiaco Station have got a stoppage in place from trolleys moving out of a certain area.

This idea, years ago. featured on the ABC Inventors show and has yet to be applied.

Can our major shopping centres start working on trolleys remaining with their areas of control?

D Cruden
Jane Brook

Natham Square fire risk
Dear Echo News,

We bought our lot in Swan View in 1988, part of Natham Square Stage 3.

There was just an open field, so everyone bought off the plan.

As it turned out, buyers of lots backing onto Natham Square Park found out that what was showing on the plan as open space was an open drain, which later doubled up as a wind tunnel.

The then shire eliminated most of the wind problem by planting a multitude of trees and bushes on the southwest side of the drain.

For the next two decades we then watched trees being mutilated one way or another, but at least they made an attempt to mow the grass.

However, in the last decade, large roots have emerged on the surface, making it impossible to use a mower on 90 per cent of the 5000sqm strip of land.

So, the now City of Swan have decided to solve the problem by letting the grass grow.

We are now three weeks into the fire season, with six months of growth ready to burn.

It makes it hard to fathom the level of ignorance, arrogance, stupidity and lack of responsibility displayed from the very top, down through the ranks of park management.

Shame on you.

O Madsen
Swan View

Station noise concerns
Dear Echo News,

Who, residing in the City of Swan or the Shire of Mundaring, has a home impacted by amplified clunking and pulsing and/or droning bassy noise vibrations which are in sync with consumer off peak/peak water demand?

Since Water Corporation upgrades and maintenance in June and July, intrusive pump station noise vibrations, propagating through the ground via the underground pipeline infrastructure, have significantly impacted my home on the doorstep of John Forrest National Park (hard clay soil with coffee rock), turning it into a resonance chamber and uninhabitable at worst.

Impacts to neighbouring properties vary depending on location, property structure type and size, and ceiling height.

Despite escalating the complaint with the Energy and Water Ombudsman and recording evidence, no remedy appears as yet.

I continue to suffer pressure and pain in my ears from the throbbing noise and unbalanced sound spectrum from sound pressure levels changed by the vibrations impacting my home.

These symptoms, including lightheadedness, and more, disappear when away from exposure to the vibrations.

Properties in the Swan Valley, located within the WA Tourism zone, which I frequented for quiet respite, are now also impacted by intrusive pump station noise.

It pervades the greater environment and natural wetland which is deeply concerning. Timelines of impact correlate with work on the Bellevue wastewater pump station, and same again for the Ellenbrook to Wangara wastewater pipeline.

Pump stations are required to move water (including gravity fed) to, and wastewater from metered properties.

Travelling stress waves through water pipes are undesirable as they fatigue the pipeline infrastructure, and because they are bassy, have the capacity to travel far from their originating source point.

So why is there failure in operational compliance to eliminate propagating pump station noise vibrations in this instance, and from negatively impacting people and the environment?

K Blandford
Swan View