Dangerous driving, dodgy parking and increasing fears for children's safety have sparked a survey of traffic problems around Canberra’s public schools.
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The ACT Council of Parents & Citizens Associations has released the survey in response to ongoing concerns among school communities across the territory, with aging government schools seemingly bearing the brunt of problems at peak periods due to limited car parking spaces and bus services.
President Vivienne Pearce said traffic dangers around Canberra schools had plagued her three-year presidency and spurred on the attempt to gather hard data.
“More needs to be done because we just can’t afford to have dangerous conditions around schools. When it comes down to it the worst thing that can happen is a kid gets knocked over,” she said.
“We’re approaching this in a systematic way. We do not expect quick fixes immediately [but] for schools identified as really critical we do expect some remedial action fairly quickly.”
Ms Pearce said 450 people had completed the online survey, which closes at the end of the month. She expected the results to be persuasive and assist both the education department and Territory and Municipal Services in addressing pedestrian safety hazards.
Suggestions included walking school buses; encouraging more students to take the bus or walk; and drop-off areas within a reasonable distance of schools.
Changing the behaviour of some motorists in school zones was also an issue.
“It’s a difficult issue. We can’t keep building larger and larger car parks – it’s too expensive and really, some of those students could be walking and riding to school,” Ms Pearce said.
“[But] there’s been a change in the last 10, 20 years in how kids get to school. [Walking and riding to school] is not always possible and some kids need to travel a longer distance. So it's also looking at what can be done about getting more kids on buses.”
Encouraging more public schools to survey parents about their intentions of getting their children on buses, which was more common among private schools, was one way to improve bus routes, she said.
The suggestion follows ACTION’s new network which will see extra buses travel through the parliamentary triangle at the expense of 60 dedicated school services.
Ms Pearce said moving students out of cars also supported the council’s work with canteens to tackle childhood obesity and complimented the ACT government’s sustainability agenda.
The survey can be found at: www.actparents.org.au
