Barber's battle for safer Erril Street continues

An 18-month push to reduce the speed limit on Mansfield's Erril Street has left local business owner Tim Skinner frustrated by what he sees as a slow approval process. For Mr Skinner, owner of Davon’s Vintage Barber, Erril Street is more than a thoroughfare. It is home to an array of shops as well as the Men’s Shed, the Youth Hub and the Buckland Centre. Impacted by traffic filtering from the Mansfield Kindergarten and Central General Practice, it is also a notorious shortcut for drivers bypassing Ailsa Street. "On top of that it is a busy parking zone; it features a chicane and two speed humps, and serves as the primary access route for heavy vehicles delivering to the rear of High and Highett Street businesses," he said. "Unfortunately some people drive fast through here, we can hear them hitting the speed humps before they zip past." Frustrated by constant close calls with vehicles and more concerningly pedestrians, Mr Skinner launched a formal campaign in November 2024 lobbying the local council. Mansfield Shire Council deployed speed counters in January 2025 with traffic analysis revealing Erril Street’s existing chicanes, outstands, and speed humps were already encouraging lower speeds. "While speed signs are helpful in making people aware of expected speeds, they only inform drivers of the maximum speed and rely on police for enforcement," council said. "The better mitigation measures are things that alter the 'speed environment', like what is already in place in this area." According to the council's data, the mean speed through the zone sat at 16.6 km/h. Furthermore, 85 per cent of traffic was clocked averaging 19.62 km/h with the majority of drivers already traveling under 20 km/h. Even the maximum speed recorded during the audit - 32.4 km/h - was deemed safe under standard pedestrian safety guidelines. While council was pleased with these findings and used them to build a formal case for a lower speed limit, the data offered little comfort to traders on the street. For locals, it only takes one speeding vehicle to cause a tragedy, with Mr Skinner concerned the official 50 km/h signpost gives drivers the legal right to travel at dangerous speeds for the narrow retail strip. His primary source of frustration also lies with the slow pace of the approval process. According to Mr Skinner initial data collection wrapped up in early 2025 but it wasn't until November 2025 - a full year after the initial request - that the shire completed community engagement and formally submitted a speed zone change application to the state's Department of Transport and Planning (DTP). When Mr Skinner requested temporary 20 km/h signage to protect pedestrians while the state government reviewed the file, the council was forced to refuse, citing rigid regulatory frameworks. Now, in May 2026, a further six months have passed with no confirmation as to whether the speed-reduction application will be granted. A spokesperson for the Department of Transport and Planning confirmed the application had been submitted by Mansfield Shire Council with the departmental review well underway and an outcome expected to be confirmed soon. The department defended the timeline, stating that any council-proposed changes to local networks must undergo rigorous, case-by-case assessments against the state's Speed Zoning Policy. DTP also clarified that once an application is approved, the physical installation of the new signs falls back onto the responsibility of the local Shire. “Keeping everyone safe on our roads is our number one priority,” the spokesperson assured. For now, Erril Street traders continue to keep their eyes on the road, with Mr Skinner reiterating the speed reduction cannot happen soon enough.