Aussie drivers blast 'confusing' junction: 'Nobody knows what to do'
Locals are fed-up, and claim the spot is 'an accident waiting to happen'
An intersection in one on Sydney's busiest suburbs that boasts a total of four stop signs on each corner has been branded "a joke" by frustrated locals who say "nobody knows what to do".
The junction, at Artarmon in the city's North Shore, has long plagued residents and workers in the area, who say the confusing signage impacts traffic flow and is "an accident waiting to happen".
One childcare worker, who branded the intersection a safety concern, has even complained to Willoughby City Council about the bizarre set-up.
"No zebra crossing, no light, just four stop signs," Sinora, from Little Lion Child Care Centre told A Current Affair, pointing to the fact children frequent the area.
"Nobody knows what to do. Everybody comes and stops or everybody wants to go and forget(s) about the people that are walking," she said "Like everybody has to wait and have a feel as to who's gonna go first."
Another man who also works in the area said the "non-stop" horn tooting from confused drivers impacts his day, and can't understand why council won't remove the signs.
Locals brand intersection 'unsafe'
"I don't know what intersection they're looking at but it's certainly not this one," Jonah from Caravan Mods said.
According to Willoughby City Council, there's only been one accident at the spot in the last decade, adding to residents' confusion — one of whom said they think the intersection is dangerous, and "an accident waiting to happen".
Driver training expert Ian Luff said the stop signs should be replaced with traffic lights.
"People have to understand (at) a normal cross intersection you have to give way to the vehicle on the right and do so with caution," he said.
"Having stop signs means, yes you have to stop, but you still have to give way to the right. I think it's a system they put in place a long time ago and they don't want to spend the money to fix it now."
Council claims signage has reduce crashes
Willoughby City Council said the signs were erected to reduce the incident of crashes.
"Council adopted to retain the intersection control as a permanent treatment in 2000 following a trial which resulted in crash reduction," a spokesperson said.
"Before: Crash history for the intersection in the five year period from 1 November 1998 to 1 November 2003 - 17 crashes resulting in 4 injuries.
"After: Crash data for the five years following the change in signage from 2 November 2003 to 2 November 2008 - two crashes (no injuries).
"Current: crash data from Transport for NSW shows only 1 crash has occurred at the intersection in the last 10 years (2013-2022)."
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