By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A school principal has slammed the lack of timely consultation on the addition of on-road bike lanes on Corrigan Road, Noble Park.
On their return from term holidays, students, parents and staff at Resurrection School were greeted by the road converted to one-lane for traffic, one for bikes.
According to the council, the traffic-calming measure aims to reduce excessive speeding and to create a safer space for cyclists and pedestrians.
Principal Jane Dunstone said it slowed car movements to a “crawl”.
Drivers were banking up behind cars waiting to turn right into side streets and the school, and vehicles were waiting a long time to enter Corrigan Road, she observed.
She’d never seen a cyclist ride past – in the past week or indeed the past six years, she said.
The “surprise” for the school was the lack of consultation from Greater Dandenong Council.
“We were alerted to it in mid-June and didn’t have a chance to bring it to the school board (before the line markings went in).”
During the holidays, parish priest Father Brian Collins, rather than the school, received a council fact sheet on road rules for drivers using the remarked road.
The information was passed onto the school, which then immediately notified parents, Ms Dunstone said.
“It’s unfortunate the way it’s unfolded. It doesn’t do much for the credibility of the council putting this forward.
“The least they can do is consult with the community before they jump in.”
Ms Dunstone said that it was “a bonus that cars aren’t passing or charging past”.
“The specific parking bays are also a bit of a bonus.”
The council says an initial notification was mailed to more than 500 residents in the area. It is now sending 2000 notices to a wider area.
Mayor Roz Blades said council staff observed the traffic impacts at Resurrection School and Wallarano Primary School after school resumed.
The officers were due to report their findings on 19 July.
Cr Blades said drivers had expressed confusion over the road regulations.
One hotspot for motorists was difficulties turning out of Wallarano Drive and a build-up of traffic behind cars turning left into Kingsclere Avenue, Cr Blades said.
Cr Tim Dark says he’s lodged a notice-of-motion to have the line markings revert to their original state.
He said he’d received complaints from parents about logjams during school pick up and drop off.
“Anytime between 8 and 9am is apparently mayhem.”
Cr Matthew Kirwan said the new road markings made Corrigan Road safer. It was a matter of motorists getting used to changed conditions.
“The opposition to Corrigan Road is more vociferous because Cr Dark has fanned the flames on social media.
“The aspect to keep in mind is whether it’s worse off or no different only during very brief times in the day.
“That has to be balanced with whether we’ve made the road safer for 23 hours a day. It’s worth it in the trade-off.”
Cr Kirwan said there had been minimal complaints of a similar treatment on Gladstone Road, Dandenong North – which also adjoins nearby schools.
The bike lane will attract cyclists – just as more are starting to use Gladstone Road, he says.
“The reason they haven’t used Corrigan Road is it hasn’t been safe.”
