Speech to Council Chambers

Speech delivered by Councillor Seal Chong Wah, on the rejection of the petition for a speed limit review for Coopers Camp Rd.

I rise to speak on the Coopers Camp Road speed limit review petition. 

The LNP Council voted to reject a speed limit review on Coopers Camp Rd, in Bardon and Ashgrove. This is despite 452 residents asking Council to consider a speed limit review.

Coopers Camp Rd is an extremely dangerous road corridor. It has:

• long, steep gradients

• a blind corner

• highly exposed pedestrian footpaths

• and only ONE pedestrian crossing along the entire 1200m road, which is a refuge island at number 151.

It carries high traffic volumes, including around 1,500 heavy vehicles every week. It has zero traffic lights, and it’s virtually impossible to cross.  Not only have I heard from dozens of residents on the street about their own experiences: I myself was nearly hit by a car walking across that road this year The road is close to St Joseph’s School, Ashgrove State School, a kindergarten, and Jubilee Park. There’s lots of families with young children walking in the area. 

Council’s crash data shows that, within the last 5 years, there were 5 crashes along this 1200 metre road. This Council has decided that isn’t enough to even review the speed limit. But we all know that Council’s crash data has gaps.

In June of 2024, a truck annihilated a bus stop. Even though it could have killed people waiting for a bus, and destroyed Council infrastructure, that wasn’t captured in the Council’s crash data. In October 2025, and April this year there were another two crashes that didn’t make it into that crash data. These two were in the same area as two other recorded crashes, at the blind curve where this Council installed speed advisory signs and a Speed Awareness Monitor. There have been two more accidents since then.

I’d like to table photographic evidence of these five crashes that Council is yet to include in their consideration of a speed limit review.

For the record, I paid for that installation on my own initiative, with my own Suburban Enhancement Fund, because residents are crying out for something to make this road safer. Not the Council.

I’ve requested traffic studies, and I made a Suburban Corridor Modernisation project on this road the top priority of my budget submission. I’ve been going back and forth with the Council’s traffic engineers, after they suggested road markings would fix this. And this Council has blocked everything.

This Council classified Coopers Camp Road as a District Road. Despite this Council accepting 50k speed limits on other District Roads, like Windsor Road, Herston Road, and Enoggera Terrace, this Council has refused to do the same here. That’s despite this being a completely residential street, and home to dozens of young families.

This LNP Council administration has spent decades putting cars ahead of people. This very Lord Mayor has called pedestrian crossings and speed humps ‘downgrades’, because heaven forbid we save the lives of pedestrians or drivers by slowing down a few cars. Billions have been spent upgrading and widening main roads. But walking, riding, and public transport all missed out. This built our dangerous car-centric city. This administration won’t spend money on buildouts, refuges and pedestrian crossings, or anything that prioritises pedestrians. This administration is dogmatically opposed to pedestrian safety, and we’re all worse for it.

Lastly, I want to quote from a resident on Coopers Camp Road. Quote, “[we’ve had] multiple crashes on our front steps, heavy trucks shaking our windows, motorists speeding past our homes, and a road our family cannot safely cross — this is our reality on Coopers Camp Road. As a mother of two young children, I’m asking Council to reduce the speed limit before it’s too late.”

It’s not just about inconvenience. It’s about safety. It’s about liveability. It’s about making sure people of all ages can move freely about our neighbourhood without fearing for their lives.

RECENT CAR ACCIDENTS RECORDED AT COOPERS CAMP RD, BARDON

Tabled with Council on 18 August 2026.

1. Monday 17th of June 2024 – truck lost control around 164 Coopers Camp Rd, ploughing through a school bus stop, including the bus stop sign and seat.

2. Friday 10th July 2026 – accident sees a car hitting a residential property at 63 Coopers Camp Rd

3. April 2026 – Two vehicle accident at 74 Coopers Camp Rd (blind bend)

4. Overnight on 28th/29th October 2025 – a hit and run occurred involving a parked vehicle at 69 Coopers Camp Rd

5. 6th June 2026 – Ute knocks over electricity pole at 93 Coopers Camp Rd, opposite Cecil Rd