NSW Roads and Maritime Services have informed Point Clare residents that they are reviewing the appropriateness of installing a 40km per hour school zone along Brisbane Water Dve to cover Point Clare Public School.
Residents and the Point Clare Public School P&C Association have been campaigning for many years to have a 40km school zone installed along Brisbane Water Dve.
Pt Clare is the only public school on the whole Central Coast that does not have a pedestrian crossing and lacks the 40km zone along its frontage. Ms Anna Zycki, RMS Regional Manager for the Hunter, has said the review of the viability of including the school zone at the front of Point Clare Public School would occur “in the coming months.
“It is worth mentioning in peak morning and afternoon times, the speed of traffi c on Brisbane Water Dve is likely to be signifi cantly less than the 60 km per hour speed limit due to congestion during these periods,” Ms Zycki said. She said RMS had not been formally notifi ed of any changes to school access to Point Clare Public School including a new access on Brisbane Water Dve. Ms Zycki did not acknowledge that the school already has a gate onto Brisbane Water Dve. Point Clare Public School parent and Scott St resident, Ms Tracey Hawkins Budge, said she appreciated that the RMS preferred access to schools via local streets rather than main roads.
However, she said Point Clare Public School appeared to be receiving different treatment to every other school on the Central Coast. “Parents have, over the years, conducted comprehensive audits of the traffi c management arrangements at most schools, primary and secondary, across the former Gosford Local Government Area. “Many other schools have their main access via local roads but still have fl ashing lights, 40km school zones and a pedestrian crossing on the main roads, even if their gates onto those main roads are rarely used. “Why are Point Clare Public School students not being given the same level of protection by the RMS?” Ms Hawkins Budge asked.
Email, Aug 18, 2016 Tracey Hawkins Budge, Point Clare