Red light for motorists' safety

NOT IMPRESSED: Brisbane councillor Angela Owen-Taylor and Logan councillor Lynne Clarke.

MOTORISTS who travel through one of the most dangerous intersections at Forestdale may have to wait longer to have traffic lights installed as the State Government and local councils feud over allegations of misplaced money.

In a newsletter sent out to residents, State Member for Algester Karen Struthers claimed funds had already been put aside to improve the intersection on the corner of Johnson and Stapylton Rds.

But Logan City councillor Lynne Clarke and Brisbane City councillor Angela Owen-Taylor both said they had not received any words or written documentations supporting Ms Struthers claim, saying money had been allocated from their separate council budgets for the project.

Now they are calling on Ms Struthers to come clean about where the money is.

"Now in my mind, this newsletter is an attempt to hoodwink people into thinking that she as a state member has done something to get these funds when the absolute reverse is the truth," Cr Owen-Taylor said.

"It has been Cr Clarke and I, and our councils in a joint partnership who have been working together to ascertain the level of funding required and to bring about a joint sharing agreement of the cost.

"There is no State Government funding what so ever."

In documents shown to The Reporter from the 2011 and 2012 Brisbane City Council budgets, $4 million dollars was allocated to the intersection this year, with contributions from the Logan City Council.

Cr Clarke said she was flabbergasted over these allegations.

"A few residents contacted me and asked me about this saying they were happy lights were going in, but I was like no, hang on a minute, we don't know if that is true," she said.

"If she has funded it, we were never told about it."

Cr Clarke said the intersection had been getting more dangerous by the day.

"This intersection has been getting busier and busier by the day and there have even been fatalities," she said.

"So I would be most ecstatic if the money is there, but she (Ms Struthers) is saying it has happened, but in fact, it hasn't."

However Struthers said the State Government contributed that money in 2010 and was simply acknowledging that fact.

Ms Struthers said she was told by the Minister for Main Roads that the project had been acknowledged by Logan City Council and that funds from the Department of Transport and Main Roads were claimed in 2010.

"The State Government has therefore fulfilled all its funding obligations and strongly urges both councils to commence this much-needed upgrade as soon as possible," she said.