Kialla West primary school is a bus interchange area for students travelling on several buses however the VicRoads operational times for the electronic speed zone signage at school crossings finishes at 4.00pm.
The crossing also does not have a school crossing supervisor outside of the 8:00 am to 9:30 am and 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm hours on school days.
Greater Shepparton City Council Manager Citizens Services Laurienne Winbanks said the speed limit for motorists during the operational time of the electronic speed zone signage at school crossings is 40 kilometres per hour.
“However the speed limit for the area outside of the operational times of the electronic speed zone signage is 80 kilometres per hour.”
“As 80 kilometres per hour is double the recommended speed for vehicles approaching the school crossing, utilising it outside of the operational times places both school crossing supervisors and pedestrians at unacceptable risk,” said Ms Winbanks.
“In order to ensure the safety of approximately 15 children who need to cross the highway at the bus interchange we have requested that the bus companies make alternative arrangements for drop offs so children do not have to cross the highway with an 80km an hour speed limit in place,” said Ms Winbanks.
“We do remind motorists to take care around all school crossings in the municipality no matter what the time. Children could perceive the crossings as a safe place to cross at any time and may not have the cognitive skills to judge traffic speed,” she said.
“School speed zones are designed to improve safety for school children by lowering the speed of traffic near schools during the peak times that children arrive at and leave schools; they are not intended to operate for bus pick up times and routes.”
