Council removes 'absolute joke' of a roundabout after hundreds of complaints from motorists

An 'absolute joke' of a roundabout has been removed from a Sydney intersection just days after it was installed following hundreds of complaints from motorists. 

Drivers were left stunned by the diamond-shaped roundabout at the intersection of Twenty-Eight Avenue and Fifteenth Avenue in Austral, in Sydney's south-west. 

Motorists said there were a number of near-misses at the busy intersection as drivers attempted to navigate its unique shape.

Liverpool City Councillor Peter Ristevski told Nine's Today program on Friday he had received hundreds of complaints about the roundabout. 

'My inbox was bombarded with over 300 responses asking, "What is going on? You guys can't even build a roundabout",' he said. 

Today host Karl Stefanovic described the roundabout as 'an absolute joke', adding it would unfortunately fall on ratepayers to fund its removal.  

Images published by Nine News on Saturday showed the roundabout had been painted over on Friday night, leaving a dark almond-shaped print on the road. 

Liverpool City Council chief executive Jason Breton said the council made the decision to remove the roundabout following the community feedback. 

Two cars nearly collided after driving over the diamond-shaped roundabout

The roundabout has since been painted over following hundreds of complaints

'We're going to take the roundabout out over the weekend,' Mr Breton said in a video posted to social media. 

'We'll put the road surface back to its original position.

'We'll work with the state and federal governments about the state road and how we can improve it as we move towards the grant money that's been allocated for the area.'

Footage previously shared by Nine News depicted the alarming moment two cars nearly collided while attempting to navigate the roundabout. 

In another close call, a ute had to carry out a three-point turn to move through the roundabout. 

Drivers were united in their opposition to the roundabout, which was introduced as part of a broader effort to ease congestion and improve safety in the area.

'This has to be one of the worst and most dangerously designed roundabouts I’ve ever seen,' a local in an Austral and Leppington community forum said on Facebook.

'You literally have to do a U-turn just to turn right — in either direction!'

Liverpool City Council chief executive Jason Breton announced the council would remove the roundabout on Friday

Another said: 'Whoever designed the “coffin” roundabout may have taken the name a bit too literally.'

'Its layout is so confusing and hazardous, it feels less like a traffic solution and more like a traffic trap,' they said. 

NSW MP for Leppington Nathan Hagarty previously called the roundabout a 'waste of money', saying the council needed to 'come back and fix up a job'. 

The local politician posted to the community forum on Sunday saying he had been in contact with the Liverpool Council over concerns about the temporary roundabout.

A spokesperson for Transport for New South Wales said the department spoke with Liverpool City Council ahead of the roundabout's removal following complaints from the Member for Leppington and the community.  

The roundabout was one of five recently installed in the area, including others on Eleventh, Fifteenth and Tenth avenues.

In January, the federal and state governments jointly announced a $1billion upgrade to Fifteenth Avenue, but work is not expected to start until 2027.

Liverpool City Council was contacted by Daily Mail Australia.