Shepparton Inner North Local Area Traffic Management Plan

Greater Shepparton City Council has prepared a traffic management plan for the inner north area of Shepparton to understand the broader impacts that the new Greater Shepparton Secondary College (GSSC) is having on the local road network.

Background

In April 2017 the Victorian Government announced the Shepparton Education Plan, which merged the four public high schools in the Shepparton and Mooroopna area into one school: the Greater Shepparton Secondary College (GSSC). The GSSC is located at the site at the former Shepparton High School at 31-73 Hawdon Street, Shepparton.

With an increase in the number of students accommodated on the site, Council undertook a local area traffic management plan for the surrounding residential areas to ensure that pedestrian, cycling and vehicle movements, including cars and buses, could be accommodated on the existing road network around the site.

The implementation of the Greater Shepparton Secondary College Local Area Traffic Management Plan October 2021 (GSSC LATM) from November 2021 to February 2022 resulted in traffic management and parking changes around the school site, including the introduction of line marking, changes to parking, and prohibiting certain right-hand turn movements along Hawdon Street during pick-up and drop-off times.

After the opening of the GSSC, Council undertook a review of traffic and pedestrian movements around the College campus and the wider precinct to ensure that the recommendations from the GSSC LATM operated as intended. As part of this review, Council undertook public consultation to obtain feedback from residents, students and parents to provide first-hand feedback about how traffic is operating around the College site. Council undertook consultation with the community between 31 January 2022 and 8 April 2022.

Following initial feedback received from early submissions to this consultation process and Council officers’ observations, changes were made to the parking regime adjacent to the GSSC. A total of 63 car parking spaces on Feshti, Hawdon and Rea Streets were converted from all-day spaces to timed 15 minute spaces between 8am – 9:30am and 2:30pm – 4pm on school day. These changes ensured that there was sufficient spaces for parents undertaking pick-up and drop-off whilst helping to reduce instances of all-day parking occurring immediately adjacent to the GSSC. The results of this consultation can be found in the Conversation Report Greater Shepparton Secondary College Local Area Traffic Management Plan Review August 2022.

Shepparton Inner North Local Area Traffic Management Plan

Following the completion of the GSSC LATM, Council has prepared a Local Area Traffic Management Plan for the inner north area of Shepparton to improve traffic management and road safety within the area. The Shepparton Inner North Local Area Traffic Management Plan February 2023 (Shepparton Inner North LATM) seeks to further review traffic, parking and pedestrian management around the College campus by identifying any issues not resolved as part of the GSSC LATM, any unintended consequences of the measures implemented, and to understand the impact that the College is having on the broader road network, including interaction with neighbouring schools and businesses. The Shepparton Inner North LATM provides recommendations to mitigate the traffic, parking and pedestrian problems identified as part of the GSSC LATM review, and to improve pedestrian and cycling connectivity, and safety within the area.

The Shepparton Inner North LATM study area is bounded by the GSSC campus site to the east; Balaclava Road, Bourchier Street Primary and Verney Road schools to the north; GV Highway to the west; and Nixon Street to the south.

The Shepparton Inner North LATM provides a list of recommendations to mitigate traffic, parking, and safety issues identified in the study area, including;

  • Improvements to cycling and pedestrian connectivity on Hawdon Street between Verney Road and Feshti Street, and Balaclava Road between Bourchier Street and Numurkah Road;
  • Safety improvements to the Hawdon and Rea Streets intersection;
  • Installation of wombat crossings at Feshti, Harold, Oram, Rea, Skene and Thames Streets to improve pedestrian connectivity and safety around schools;
  • Introduction of speed control devices on Barker Avenue, and Bourchier, Clive, Corio, Dunrobin, Maude, Orr and Rea Streets to slow vehicle speeds and improve safety;
  • Introduction of kerb outstands and splitter islands at intersections along Knight Street and Balaclava Road;
  • Introduction of compact roundabouts on Rea Street; and
  • Changes to parking, including line marking car parking spaces around Notre Dame College/St Brendan’s Primary School, and minor changes to parking restrictions at certain locations to improve traffic flow and parking occupancy.

Next Steps

Council undertook public consultation on the findings and recommendations of the draft Shepparton Inner North LATM from 26 September to 24 October 2022. Council thanks all residents, commuters, and students and parents of the schools within the area for providing first-hand feedback on identifying key traffic issues in the area and providing feedback on the traffic treatments proposed by the LATM.

Council officers have reviewed all of the feedback received and have prepared a conversation report summarising the contents of submissions and Council officers’ responses to key issues raised. Some of the themes identified related to intersection upgrades, pedestrian crossings and safety, traffic volumes, traffic and parking restrictions, and cycling and pedestrian infrastructure.

The final Shepparton Inner North LATM was adopted by Council at an Ordinary Council Meeting held on 21 February 2023.

Key recommendations from the final Shepparton Inner North LATM will be implemented from early 2023 onward. Some measures will require further investigation to understand detailed designs and costings that can be included in Council’s 10-year Capital Works Program, and be accounted for in future budgetary processes.

Documents

Timeline

  • January to March 2022 Review of the GSSC LATM and consultation with the community on traffic management surrounding the GSSC
  • 26 September 2022 — 24 October 2022 Draft Shepparton Inner North LATM for public consultation
  • February 2023 Shepparton Inner North LATM adopted by Council.
  • Early 2023 onwards Implementation of recommendations from the Shepparton Inner North LATM