Hannah Thompson Radio and web producer +61 403 131 405 Newcastle, Australia hannahmrthompson.com [email protected] Locals Fear for Their Lives Oldmeadow residents say they live in fear of an accident due to the high volume of heavy vehicle traffic through Runaround Road. Coal trucks and oil tankers constantly travel the road, leading to the Koondooloo mine, on which a primary school and residential dwellings are situated. The current situation has drawn parallels to a recent accident in Sydney that claimed the lives of three people after a coal truck collided into their living room. The residents, some whose lounge rooms sit just over two meters from the street, are rallying this week to stop trucks from using the street in efforts to stop a possible tragedy. The recently reopened mine increased traffic significantly, with a 24 hour stream of noise and coal dust disturbing students and home owners. Doris Day, of the Newcastle North Residents group, said a recently conducted survey had shown trucks used the road “every two minutes.” “We’ve feared for our lives and for the lives of our kids and if the mine hadn’t closed we would’ve seen what happened in Sydney happen here,” she said. Residents have been petitioning council to declare the area a light traffic thoroughfare for 20 years without any action. The residents group will meet this Saturday at Oldmeadow Scout Hall to discuss the issue and to decide on future plans of action. For the Herald, Newcastle

News Story, Locals fear for their lives

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Written in the style of the Newcastle Herald, this news story was based on information provided in a brief and details a community based issue in the town of Oldmeadow.

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Page 1: News Story, Locals fear for their lives

Hannah ThompsonRadio and web producer

+61 403 131 405Newcastle, Australia

[email protected]

Locals Fear for Their LivesOldmeadow residents say they live in fear of an accident due to the high volume of heavy vehicle traffic through Runaround Road.

Coal trucks and oil tankers constantly travel the road, leading to the Koondooloo mine, on which a primary school and residential dwellings are situated.

The current situation has drawn parallels to a recent accident in Sydney that claimed the lives of three people after a coal truck collided into their living room.

The residents, some whose lounge rooms sit just over two meters from the street, are rallying this week to stop trucks from using the street in efforts to stop a possible tragedy.

The recently reopened mine increased traffic significantly, with a 24 hour stream of noise and coal dust disturbing students and home owners.

Doris Day, of the Newcastle North Residents group, said a recently conducted survey had shown trucks used the road “every two minutes.”

“We’ve feared for our lives and for the lives of our kids and if the mine hadn’t closed we would’ve seen what happened in Sydney happen here,” she said.

Residents have been petitioning council to declare the area a light traffic thoroughfare for 20 years without any action.

The residents group will meet this Saturday at Oldmeadow Scout Hall to discuss the issue and to decide on future plans of action.

For the Herald, Newcastle