School Traffic Zones

S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (15:13): I rise to call on members of the Holdfast Bay council to act on concerns about student safety on Bowker Street and to install an effective pedestrian safety crossing for students and families of Paringa Park Primary School.

In July 2024 I wrote to the council, raising the very real safety concerns of the community following a meeting with the principal, a teacher and a young student. There was no action. In August this year, I wrote again to the Holdfast Bay council, this time with details of a petition I ran on this issue. Still there was no action. But it is not just me raising this as an advocate for my community. Council's own consultation on their business plan advised that, and I quote:

A dominant theme was concern about vehicle speeds on streets surrounding the school, particularly Bowker Street. Respondents described the road as a major thoroughfare, often used as a shortcut, with drivers routinely ignoring the 25 kilometre per hour speed limit. Many mentioned near misses involving children and said drivers were not responding appropriately to signage or school zones.

They go on:

Overall, the feedback reflects a strong and unified call from the community for immediate and meaningful action to improve safety conditions around the school, especially on Bowker Street.

Yet despite this—knowingly—still no action from members of the Holdfast Bay council. I do reiterate local roads are the responsibility of our local councils, and I call again on members of the council to act on the very real safety concerns of families for this school and on the community surrounding Bowker Street. I would like to add some of the quotes that were raised in the petition I ran earlier this year:

Thank you for raising this petition. This has been an ongoing issue for several years and while the council has been engaged, they have not yet been willing to put in a wombat crossing due to the costs involved. That is clearly the best solution for this street as it will force cars to slow down, and there are other traffic calming measures that could be instituted to make this area safer for children and stop it being a speedway for cars.

Another advised on the petition I ran:

Cars doing 80 to 90km per hour on Bowker Street, something needs to be done before a child is killed. And not just lights, it needs multiple bumps.

Another stated:

Yes, flashing lights at the pedestrian crossing would be a blessing! So many cars zoom down that street, unaware it's a school zone. This gives drivers better vision as they approach! May even save a life!

And this comment:

My daughter attends school at Paringa Park Primary and there have been many times drivers have flown past the crossing whilst we are attempting to cross. It's only a matter of time before someone is hurt.

Council have not acted, despite all of the information that is in front of them, and I stand here again in this house urging them to act and put the very real concerns of the community to bear.

The state government, however, is acting on concerns around school zones and on its responsibility for our main roads. I am so pleased that the rollout of 40 km/h zones by our state government is occurring for schools in my community, in particular those schools—their principals and governing councils—that I have talked to over the last year. I note that, by the end of next year, there is going to be a 40 km/h zone outside Brighton Secondary School and another one outside Brighton Primary School. Both of these are on Brighton Road—a very busy road, as you all know. There will also be 40 km/h zones on Diagonal Road and Morphett Road surrounding Warradale Primary School.

There has been particular interest in improving safety along those roads for school families, and one very diligent grandparent advocate has been in touch. I am so pleased that the state government is acting on this. There are also going to be safety zones raised on Sturt Road for Sunrise Christian College, as well as on Marion Road for Marion Primary School and Westminster School. It is possible to act on behalf of student safety and community safety. The state government is doing it. I call on members of the Holdfast Bay council to do the same.