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| The vision portrayed in The Lifesaver Plan (Creating A Navigator’s Paradise In Sydney And Beyond) grew from the 1998-99 Navigator’s Paradise trial of navigational aids in the Sydney suburb of Epping. (See the flyer that publicised that project.) In an attempt to create a model for Sydney’s then 40 local councils, local Neighbourhood Watch group Area Eastwood (EW3) asked Hornsby Shire Council for 16 new street name signs so that at each of their area’s 33 intersections both streets would be named. They asked for the new signs to include the suburb name, and for kerb numbering at each residence. The fire and ambulance services then asked for property numbers on the signs as a means of telling which way to turn at intersections. Beatrice Player, who as EW3's Area Co-ordinator had instigated the trial, investigated current methods of displaying these numbers and found shortcomings in all of them, including that prescribed in the relevant Australian Standard. See (FAQ - Wedge.) She developed wedge notation and showed it to local police, fire and ambulance authorities who asked that it be used on the trial signs. The new wedge notation was well received but trial feedback included criticism of the sign's format. Retired Epping design Engineer Len Alexander proposed a leaner sign with large property numbers, since these become a driver's chief interest once he is on the right street. This design - subsequently named the Lifesaver - was selected by the emergency service authorities as the one they would like to see throughout Sydney, along with all other measures trialled. In a survey of local residents conducted by Hornsby Shire Council engineers, 52% of respondents selected the wedge scheme as the best of three methods for showing property numbers (versus 30% who chose the current Australian Standard), and 88% considered it necessary to name both streets at intersections. Two chief council engineers nonetheless maintained that signing both streets at all intersections was unnecessary and that the new wedge notation would confuse the public, and recommended against the adoption of these measures. In their two reports to Council (9 Feb 2000 and 11 July 2001), they did not mention the letters from the public and emergency service authorities favouring wedge notation, or the interest of three other councils in trialling the wedge. Adopting a new sign in July 2001, Council voted 6-3 for the conventional sign proposed by the engineers, rejecting the Lifesaver Plan and the Lifesaver II format proposed by Cllr Steven Pringle and Beatrice Player. With increased support from the emergency services, NSW Member for Epping and Shadow Minister for Police Andrew Tink, an early supporter of Navigator's Paradise innovations, agreed to present the Lifesaver Plan to the NSW Parliament in a Private Member’s Statement, asking all councils in the state to adopt it. This web site was prepared for launching at the same time as Mr Tink’s statement to assist councils in implementing the Plan.
Page created 28 September, 2001. Last updated
19 August, 2003 04:39:35 +1000
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