By Sahar Foladi
Families and staff at a Keysborough South primary school say they fear for children’s safety as they push for improved crossing supervision around the school.
Opening in 2020, the campus has one crossing supervisor at Chapel Road for a student population of more than 350 and is projected to reach 600 by 2025.
Meanwhile, the school has reported numerous ’near-misses’ involving students amid long lines of drop-off and pick-up traffic, with calls for an extra crossing supervisor on Homeleigh Road. But the council has played down safety concerns.
Greater Dandenong councillor Rhonda Garad spoke out on the issue after a meeting “out of desperation” with the school principal, council officers and Mordialloc MP Tim Richardson on Friday 8 December.
“The principal expressed her inability to continue to divert teacher resources to traffic management,“ Cr Garad told a council meeting days later.
“She has three teachers having to leave the classroom to ensure child safety before and after school.”
According to her, the school representatives showed multiple near-miss reports to the council officers.
At an 11 December council meeting, Cr Garad asked whether the council will deploy supervisors “proportionate to the student population” and how the council will plan to address child safety concerns.
According to her, the majority of the student population make their way to school from within the neighbourhood. Chapel Road – which has a supervised crossing – was the least taken route to the school.
Greater Dandenong Council city planning director Jody Bosman said the council was aware of the issues faced by the school.
“We appreciate this can be frustrating for parents and nearby residents, however safety is our priority, and we will continue to monitor road safety at this location and implement a range of engineering educational and enforcement measures when we’re able to do so.”
Crossing supervisors are co-funded by the State Government and the council. They are only provided in locations which “comply with warrants which are set by the Victorian Government.”
Mr Bosman said the “warrants” are being reviewed by the government “which may enable supervisors at broader range of locations due to a more comprehensive risk-based approach.”
He referred to the council working with “contemporary evidence-based data” and investing hours of work to “enforce, monitor and review road safety” around the school.
“We focus heavily on safety for children and decisions around changes at such locations are only made by road safety experts.
“We prioritise measures which address matters such as vehicle speed and visibility of crossing points which can result in some compromise with regard to congestion.”
Mr Bosman said a number of “engineering measures had been considered and ruled out by road safety experts” such as a one-way traffic system. Parking restrictions and amounts of available short-term parking had been altered several times.
“Parking restrictions is also altered on Abercrombie Avenue to encourage parents to park at safe locations.”
As a result of the heightened issue in the community, Mordialloc MP Mr Richardson has called for a public meeting with council representatives on behalf of the families and students.
“Every week, parents share concerns about the safety of their kids during school pick-up and drop-off times.
“As more families come to Keysborough Gardens Primary School, local residents are calling for further safety measures and more traffic supervisors to increase safety for our kids.
“The lived experience of residents and students is one of increasing safety concerns and risk.
“We are calling on Greater Dandenong Council to respectfully engage with our local community and hear their concerns and feedback as an urgent priority.”
Both Mr Richardson and Cr Garad called for the council to present the “evidence-based“ road safety data to the residents and consult with the community directly on the previously “ruled out“ suggestions.
Cr Garad says every solution suggested at the meeting on Friday was “shut down” by council officers
“The officer would not entertain any of the ideas.
“What was extraordinary was his rationale in saying it was all safe because the traffic congestion was so bad that motorists could not be travelling at higher speed.
“That was his assessment of a job well done.”
She said parents’ cars queued up to an hour during drop-off and pick up times to which Mr Bosman replied he’s entirely focused on safety issues.
“The issue of the amount of time it takes at drop off is not a safety issue,“ Mr Bosman said.
“I’ve focused purely on safety issues. The traffic engineers within this council have strong data that backs up the measures and designs in place outside the school.
“As schools expands its enrolment, congestion during pick up and drop off is likely to be present as at most schools.“
Mr Richardson said: “Keysborough Gardens Primary families deserve to be consulted on the safety considerations that directly impact on the health and wellbeing of their kids.
“While the Greater Dandenong Council insists there are no safety concerns at Keysborough Gardens Primary School, this contradicts the lived experience of hundreds of parents and students who attend this wonderful school in our Keysborough South community.
“We are calling on Greater Dandenong Council to join with their local ratepayers and residents to hear their concerns and feedback and publicly make available the extensive traffic information they refer to.”
Keysborough resident, Nina Kelly, who is also a School Council representative, said the lack of improved school crossing supervision after eight years of discussions was a “disgrace“.
“It’s not just about Keysborough Gardens it’s about the Sirius College (nearby), elderly and disabled people who also use the crossing to get to the shops and medical centre.
“You can do all the active travel education you want but without a school crossing there’s a lack of trust from parents for children to cross safely,” Ms Kelly said.
“The children may be alert but not necessarily the drivers. There’s a lot of factors – it’s not just whether you can educate the kids, it’s also the adults.”
