By NICOLE VALICEK
BOLD red letters that read “keep clear” on Betty McMenaman’s drive serve as a warning for anyone passing through the laneway out the back of her house but the message is not sticking.
The long term Newport resident is calling on the council to concrete a tee-shaped laneway out the back of her house located on Douglas Parade, Newport.
The laneway, which is located on River and Hobsons Rd, has two access points and leads to a major reserve.
“It’s my backyard,” she said.
Ms McMenaman said the gravel laneway has been a problem since she moved to the area in 1996.
She said over the years the area has developed with more renovations and new buildings and as a result more activity through the laneway.
A major concern for the 82-year-old was the large trucks that use the laneway and that often crash into her and other neighbour’s fences.
“It’s not a hard situation,” she said.
“In these modern times why not concrete it and make it better. And make it so trucks have to be smaller not bigger, the trucks come up – there’s about two inches each side so they hit the fences all the time.”
Ms McMenaman contacted Star after reading an article about the council agreeing to provide $100,000 in its 21013-14 budget to repair and maintain 25 kilometres of laneways in the municipality recently.
“It’s a worrying thing that this is happening all day and it shouldn’t be, fix it and we won’t have to worry.”
She said she wants the council to concrete her laneway, cut off access to allow only one entry and ban large trucks from accessing it.
“It’s a real hazard, it shouldn’t be.”
Ms McMenaman said she contacted the council a while ago but was told it was not there responsibility and she should go about fixing the laneway herself.
“Never buy a house that has a laneway.”
The council declined to comment before deadline.
