Surf Coast Times
Tuesday 14 December 2010
VOL 8. No 50
www.surfcoasttimes.com.au
FREE WEEKLY
St Therese Catholic Primary School students added plenty of colour to Saturday night’s Carols by the Sea in Torquay. Although the weather forced the carols indoors to Surf World, a huge crowd was on hand to soak up the festive spirit. See more PETER MARSHALL photos on Pages 14 and 15.
NUMBERS UP Police presence set to be bolstered over approaching holiday period as motorists show little regard for road rules or safety
BY NATHAN HALE POLICE are dumbfounded by local motorists who continue to put themselves and fellow road users at risk by flouting road rules. With the holiday period only days away, 60 Surf Coast motorists were caught in just the first 17 days of the Statewide operation RAID (Remove All Impaired Drivers). The alarming figures come despite repeated print and electronic media advertisements warning of the dangers of disobeying road rules and the possible consequences. Reacting in disbelief to the numbers, Surf Coast Traffic Management Unit boss, Jason Van Doren, said enough was enough. “Considering all of the advertisements and
warnings that police would be targeting offences, it is very, very disappointing,” he said. “You can keep ramming the message home but some people still just won’t listen. “But we are not going to give up. We will keep on hitting people with advertisements through the media and, most importantly, on the road. “If you break the rules you are going to pay the price… it’s as simple as that.” Van Doren also issued a warning to both local and visiting motorists that police highway patrols will boast an increased presence throughout the summer holiday period. With the shire’s population expected to triple during the next nine weeks, Van Doren said extra police patrols will also be added to cope with the
Surf Forecast
influx of motorsists. “For the first time we have extra staff coming down to support us on the roads,” he said. “We will have two extra highway patrol cars and a motorbike – all with the latest equipment to detect people breaking the law.” And for anyone thinking of having one too many over the festive season and then trying to drive home avoiding main roads – think again. “We are well on to the types who think they can snake their way home through back streets,” he said. “We know all the sneaky little places – so as well as having the main roads covered we are all over the back streets as well. “It just makes it simple – don’t drive if you are going to drink.”
Spirit shines through
BY NATHAN HALE
TORQUAY’S community spirit has shone at its brightest, less than a week after thoughtless vandals tried to ruin it. Only days after the town’s first Christmas Tree on front beach had its solar panels torn down and lights vandalised, local businesses have banded together to help raise enough money to turn the lights back on. Front Beach Café, Scorched restaurant, Crowne Plaza and Torquay Animal House have all put their hands in their pockets to donate cash to help re-light the tree – whose lights were turned back on last night. “It’s just great to see businesses like these who have been so quick to offer assistance,” said Torquay Commerce and Tourism Association president, Martin Duke. “I said when the lights were vandalised that they would not – could not – break our community spirit and this support just goes to show that.”
WED 1ft small N 26° THU 1-2ft building W/SW 21° FRI 1-2ft clean W/SW 22° SAT 2ft inconsistent W/NW 20°
PAGE
111
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