You had one job! A bureaucratic bungle has left a streetlight conveniently stuck in the middle of the ROAD with no plans to move it



Construction mistake leaves streetlight STUCK in the middle of busy road

After more than a month no one has made any effort to fix the error

A phone call to electricity distributor is all that is needed to move the light



Powercor are 'waiting by the phone' but developers ignore the problem



For more than four weeks, a streetlight has been blocking a turning lane in a busy Victorian town, and there appears to be no rush to move it.



This bizarre but frustrating tale began when the median strip was moved in the Bendigo suburb of Strathdale, in a bungled attempt to create a new turning lane.



While the other lights have been moved, one straggler has been left standing alone in the middle of the street waiting for the green light to be moved.



The pole has been standin in the middle of the road in Condon Street Strathdale, for more than a month

Bungled road construction: The streetlight is bizarrely protruding out of the middle of the newly constructed turning lane on Condon Street, Strathdale

It was hoped that the pole would be placed on the median strip, but it is instead stuck in the middle of a lane on Condon Street, Strathdale

A phone call to the electricity distributor is the simple solution.



A safety audit from the company contracted to create the new turning lane, Fabcot Pty Ltd, is required before the street light can be moved back onto the median strip - a straight-forward but vital procedure.



The electricity distributor responsible, Powercor, say they are ready and waiting, but are yet to receive a call from Fabcot.

Powercor spokesman Lyall Johnson says the problem is that the developers did not do their homework before starting road constructions on Condon Street.

‘At this stage Fabcot has not completed the required final audit and submitted it to Powercor. It is entirely in Fabcot’s hands.’

The Powercor website gives clear instructions for how to organise moving a street pole or street light

Motorists are unable to use the new turning lane as there is a giant streetlight stuck in the middle of it

Pictures show that the turning lane has been blocked off by a row of traffic posts, with the street pole dangerously placed in the middle of the lane.

For a month the streetlight has been stuck in the middle of the lane on Condon Street, Strathdale

The pole in question is owned by the Maben Group, which is building a new supermarket at nearby Kennington.



Fabcot has been contracted by the Maben Group to create the new turning lane and relocate the poles.

This has evidently not gone to plan.

The pole was originally situated on a larger median strip, which has been made narrower to accommodate the turning lane, leaving the power pole in the middle of the road.

Powercor’s role is to ensure the pole complies with network safety audit requirements before it can be moved onto the median strip.



The light is meant to sit on the new median street, but the developers have not contacted the electricity distributors so are unable to move the pole.

Powercor tried to take matters into their own hands, but Fabcot's involvement is crucial.



'We sought advice from VicRoads on whether the pole could be moved onto the median strip but not connected to power, but VicRoads would not agree.

‘Moving the pole before a safety audit means it could not have power connected to it or have power running through it to other lights which would disrupt power to a further 10 main road lights for some months.’

VicRoads Regional Director, Mal Kersting, confirms VicRoads have nothing to do with the roadworks.

'The current road works in the area are private developer funded works associated with access to new shopping centre that is currently under construction. These are not VicRoads works.'

'This lane remains closed to any traffic and VicRoads will only authorise the opening of the lane when all related road works and access to the new development are completed.'