Canowindra School Crossing

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-108790

Hansard session: Fifty-Seventh Parliament, First Session (57-1)

Canowindra School Crossing

Mr PHILIP DONATO (Orange) (12:11):

:11 I move:

That this House:

(1)Calls on the Government to immediately install a supervised zebra crossing upon Tilga Street at Canowindra between Canowindra Public School and St Edwards Public School for the safe passage of students who cross this busy road.

(2)Notes 13 years of reported inaction by the Government and its failure to appropriately address the many reports of concern for the safety of schoolchildren crossing Tilga Street.

I represent the community of Canowindra on this important motion, which is about the safety of those we hold most dear—our children. Late last year it was brought to my attention that 13 years have passed since Roads and Maritime Services [RMS] was first advised of safety issues concerning school students crossing Tilga Street, Canowindra, going to and from school. This involves approximately 300 students from both the Canowindra Public School and St Edwards Catholic Primary School, which are situated on opposite sides of Tilga Street and adjacent to the crossing point that connects them. For 13 years the schools and respective parents and citizens associations [P&Cs] have raised their concerns for the safety of students who cross unsupervised, some of whom have narrowly missed being struck by an approaching or passing vehicle when crossing the road at the designated crossing point.

I am reliably advised that each year the schools are informed of two to three near misses where students narrowly miss being struck by vehicles approaching and passing through the current crossing point. During the past 13 years the schools and their P&Cs have brought these safety concerns to the attention of this and former government's departments, including through face‑to‑face meetings, but those with the carriage of this matter have moved on without ever having appropriately acted on the issue. Toing and froing between local and State governments over whose responsibility it is has added to the problem. It is completely inexcusable for this Government and previous governments to have failed to act on this very serious safety issue. It should not take the death of a child for reactive measures. Two or three near misses—and there may be more that have not been reported—equate to nearly 40 near‑death events over the time that governments have known about these significant safety risks. Thirteen years of inaction amounts to 13 years of recklessness and neglect.

I am advised that the majority of reported near‑miss incidents have involved heavy vehicles, trucks. Anecdotal evidence indicates approaching trucks, particularly those approaching from the south, are travelling on a descent toward the crossing point and the momentum of those heavy vehicles is a factor in vehicles failing to slow down and stop in time for children crossing the roadway of Tilga Street, which is part of State Highway B81, the Lachlan Valley Way. Further information suggests that near misses have occurred when vision was obscured of both approaching vehicles and students stepping off the kerb to cross at that location due to school buses being parked upon Tilga Street in the proximity of the crossing.

Since being made aware of these safety concerns, I have made several written representations to the Minister for Transport and have submitted a question on notice, on each occasion stressing the importance of installing a supervised crossing. I understand there has been a site inspection and roadway use has been monitored by RMS since I raised this matter with the Minister. The result has been to modify the crossing, including by repainting the blister roadway markings at the crossing, repainting the posts on which warning flags in red and white stripe are placed and the installation of new technology to be trialled at Canowindra, which involves the installation of sensor poles that detect a pedestrian approaching the crossing, causing the activation of flashing lights. I understand that the measures have been installed, with the exception of the sensor poles. The sensor poles are due imminently, based on notifications from the RMS as late as yesterday. Concerns are that the flashing lights located at the crossing will fail to give sufficient warning to heavy‑laden vehicles to enable them to stop in time.

Neither St Edwards school nor Canowindra Public School has the human resources to continue putting up and pulling down the warning flags at the crossing point, which occurs four times each school day. This should be the responsibility of Roads and Maritime Services. It has been noted by school staff that the high‑visibility blaze flags noticeably fade during the course of the year due to exposure to the elements, thereby reducing the visual warning they are intended to provide. Observations have been made that motorists often do not slow down or stop at the crossing and it is felt that many motorists do not understand a children's crossing and the requirement for them to stop, even when the flags are up. The same cannot be said of a zebra crossing. All motorists understand the requirement to stop when a pedestrian is crossing a zebra crossing. A properly trained adult supervisor is an invaluable element to the safe passage of children across busy roads, such as Tilga Street. The vigilance, guidance and direction from a crossing supervisor would galvanise the protection of children who use this crossing each school day. We should not forget that these are children aged six to12; they do not have full comprehension of the dangers or the judgement to exercise personal safety.

Cost should not be an issue in the placement of a school crossing supervisor but, if it were, this cost could be offset via drought assistance measures. This would also benefit the local economy, which is presently suffering the financial impacts of the drought, by providing additional employment. I call on the Government to urgently install a supervised zebra crossing on Tilga Street, Canowindra, between St Edwards Catholic Primary School and Canowindra Public School. The cost of installing a zebra crossing and employing a part‑time supervisor is nothing compared to the priceless value of the lives of the 300 schoolchildren who use it every school day. Children risk the possibility of a grave catastrophe if this Government refuses to install a supervised zebra crossing for their protection. Anything less is completely unacceptable.

Ms STEPH COOKE (Cootamundra) (12:18):

:07 I seek to amend the motion. I move:

That the motion be amended by leaving out all words after "That" with a view to inserting instead:

"(1)Notes the Government's commitment to the road safety of school students across the State.

(2)Congratulates the Government on the delivery of its commitment of at least one set of flashing lights in every New South Wales school zone and the rollout of 300 additional school crossing supervisors over the next four years.

(3)Notes the Government's commitment to finding the right safety solutions for each school setting and its continued investment in safety infrastructure and road safety education."

The safety of our schoolchildren is our highest priority, and I thank the member for Orange for bringing this important issue to the attention of the House. When it comes to the safety of our schoolchildren there is no room for playing politics. That is why I give the House and the community of Canowindra every assurance that the appropriate solution is being implemented at Tilga Street. School students are some of our most vulnerable road users. Every child must be able to get to and from school safely. The School Crossing Supervisor Program currently funds up to 1,200 supervisors at around 800 crossings across New South Wales. There are three in the Cootamundra electorate and a fourth is on the way, thanks to the New South Wales Government's announcement in January of an $18.5 million commitment to provide 300 additional school crossing supervisors over the next four years. These new school crossing supervisors have already started to roll out, with Bathurst Public School being the latest school to receive one this week.

The New South Wales Government has invested heavily in school zone flashing lights, committing in June 2013 to having at least one set of flashing lights in every school zone, which we achieved in 2016. The Government has since rolled out additional flashing lights at more than 500 school zones. More than 6,000 school zone flashing lights are now in place across New South Wales. Pedestrian crossing facilities primarily aim to increase the safety of pedestrians by reducing conflict between vehicles and pedestrians and by simplifying the decisions that pedestrians and motorists have to make. The New South Wales Government takes a safe system approach to managing the road network and ensuring solutions are appropriate to each setting.

While the road rules state that a motorist must slow down and, if necessary, stop to avoid a collision when a pedestrian is on a zebra crossing, the safe system approach to road safety recognises that as road users humans are fallible and will continue to make mistakes. To remind motorists of the need to take additional caution around school zones, 39 school zone locations across New South Wales have fixed speed cameras in place and a further 11 school zone locations have red light speed cameras. Outside of schools we are making every effort to ensure a safer environment for our schoolchildren. To complement this we are also working inside the schools to raise awareness among children about the dangers around roads and vehicles. The Community Road Safety Fund invests about $5 million per year in the early childhood and school education sectors to fund the Road Safety Education Program.

I say all this to put in context my amendment to the motion. The Government is putting every resource needed into ensuring the safety of our most vulnerable road users. While the advocacy of the member for Orange on behalf of Canowindra Public School and St Edwards Primary School for a zebra crossing may be very well intentioned, it is important to recognise that each school zone area requires a different solution. Zebra crossings are useful in some circumstances but may be inappropriate and less effective in others, such as in the Tilga Street school zone. We have worked closely with the schools and the local community to find the right safety solution for this area.

On 29 May 2019 the Roads and Maritime Services [RMS] representatives met with the principals of Canowindra Public School and St Edwards Primary School to discuss their concerns about the Tilga Street crossing. Canowindra Public School requested a zebra crossing; however, the RMS advised against that because it would increase the risk to pedestrians. At low-volume pedestrian sites like Tilga Street, motorists may become accustomed to not seeing pedestrians and fail to take due care. Additionally pedestrians may become overconfident and step out onto a zebra crossing without checking to make sure vehicles will stop. The RMS suggested a median refuge but this was rejected by the school principals. The RMS investigated the possibility of placing a school crossing supervisor there and conducted more than 10 surveys at the location but the road did not have sufficient volume of traffic or pedestrian numbers to place a crossing supervisor there at this time.

Both schools agreed to display flags between 8.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. each day, which activates the crossing. That means that during the whole school day motorists will be reminded to take caution and watch out for schoolchildren. Motorists are required to stop six metres before the crossing line and remain stationary until all pedestrians on or about to enter the crossing have completed their crossing. Cabonne Shire Council has completed new line markings and has refreshed parking and no stopping signage at the schools on Tilga Street. The council has also trimmed vegetation to enhance visibility at the Tilga Street crossing.

Speed zone alert flashing lights are already installed on Tilga Street and are activated on a timer. The RMS has been working with the schools to provide pedestrian-activated flashing lights at the crossing to enhance visibility for road users during school hours. The lights have been specially designed for the site and are currently being installed. I am pleased to advise the House that the lights will become operational next week. I make it clear that the RMS will continue to monitor this school zone, working closely with the public schools and their communities to ensure the safety of the children is maintained. School zone safety is paramount. That is why the Government has made consistent and targeted investments to ensure that every school zone across New South Wales has the right solution installed for our most vulnerable road users.

Mrs HELEN DALTON (Murray) (12:25):

:17 I speak in support of the motion moved by the member for Orange. The member for Cootamundra has made a very long‑winded contribution to the motion. Why would she not support the Canowindra community's request to install a pedestrian crossing? The request has come from the people, so why would the Government not do it? I had four children in six years and I know what it is like to try to get children to school in a safe manner. You can have all the rules in the world but it does not mean that a truck driver is going to stop six metres from the pedestrian crossing. Why would the Government put at risk schoolchildren when there is a clear pathway to fix the problem?

It seems that country roads are full of deathtraps that could easily be fixed with minimal government spending but the Government just keeps ignoring them. Roads in my electorate have been neglected for years and years. There should be 40-kilometre an hour zones around preschools and day care centres but we have not even got those. For the past 30 years locals in my electorate have been pleading with the Government to do something about dangerous sharp turnarounds, for example, at the Rankins Springs pub where the Mid Western Highway meets Rankins Springs Road. A truck coming along there could easily misjudge the turn and crash into the wall of the pub. This request has come from the community and yet nothing is done. What does it take? Does it take the death of a child for something to be done? I urge the member for Cootamundra to address this issue and support our constituents.

Mr CHRISTOPHER GULAPTIS (Clarence) (12:27):

:29 I support the motion as amended by the member for Cootamundra. I can assure the member for Orange that the New South Wales Government takes very seriously its responsibility in ensuring that our schoolkids are safe when they are at school and when they are travelling to and from school. The Liberals and Nationals Government has a strong record on keeping people safe around our schools. In June 2013 the New South Wales Government committed to ensuring that every school in New South Wales has at least one set of school zone flashing lights, a target that was achieved by January 2016. This applies even in the most remote areas of the State. Flashing lights were recently installed at Pooncarie Public School, which reopened earlier this year, in the State's far west.

More than 6,000 school zone flashing lights are now in place across New South Wales. The Government has also installed more than $5 million of new safety infrastructure, with 140 projects around New South Wales schools, including new raised crossings, kerb extensions, pedestrian refuges, fencing, footpath improvements, safety signage and splitter islands at roundabouts. The Government has implemented other safety measures also such as school crossing supervisors. The School Crossing Supervisor Program currently funds up to 1,200 supervisors at around 800 crossings across New South Wales. In January 2019 the New South Wales Government announced an $18.5 million commitment to provide 300 additional school crossing supervisors over the next four years.

We then reviewed this commitment and decided to expedite the process. Instead of doing it over four years, we are doing it over three years. Under the previous requirements for the program the crossing had to meet four criteria. There had to be at least 300 vehicles and 50 unaccompanied students per hour in the morning and afternoon to be eligible for a supervisor. Under the new arrangements schools will only need to meet one of those criteria. This is great for schools in regional New South Wales because it is now easier for them to fulfil the criteria and receive funding for a crossing supervisor. Transport for NSW is currently working to identify the new locations, and new crossing supervisors are already beginning to arrive in parts of regional New South Wales.

In the past few months the first 19 new supervisors have started in regional New South Wales at schools including St John's Catholic Primary School in Dubbo, Goulburn Public School, Nowra Public School and, just this week, Bathurst Public School. We have also introduced road safety education programs. The Community Road Safety fund invests about $5 million per year in the early childhood and school education sectors to fund the Road Safety Education Program, which provides road safety education consultancy support for teachers in more than 3,000 primary and secondary schools and more than 3,500 early childhood services across New South Wales.

Safety Town is a one-stop website for primary school teachers, students and their families, providing engaging, interactive activities to help children learn about seatbelts and bus, bike, driveway and pedestrian safety. The On the Move website provides resources and activities for high school students including classroom activities that focus on novice drivers and passengers. Every year schools are offered a resource pack for their kindergarten orientation day to support the key road safety messages and provide road safety information for families to continue road safety conversations with children starting primary school. In 2018 a library bag was provided for children starting school in 2019. It had the key road safety message of "Hold a grown-up's hand when you cross the road" printed on it and contained safety stickers for children, a child car seat height chart, coloured pencils and road safety activities for children and safety information for families.

Ms JULIA FINN (Granville) (12:31):

:43 I support the motion of the member for Orange. The pedestrian crossing between the two primary schools in Canowindra is an important issue that I am very familiar with because I went to St Edward's in Canowindra. I have been familiar with that problematic and dangerous crossing not for 13 years but for more than 40 years. I commend the member for Orange for bringing this motion to the attention of the House to try to have Roads and Maritime Services address the issue. I am flabbergasted that the Government would attempt to delete all references to the problem that the member for Orange is trying to address in his motion. The Government's amendment deletes the motion and inserts pats on the back. The amendment talks about all of the supervised school crossings that the Government is putting in across the State when it is not putting one in at Canowindra.

To suggest that there is insufficient student numbers to do something about this problem is ridiculous and offensive. Every kid in Canowindra goes to one of those two schools; there are only two primary schools. To suggest that kids in Canowindra are not worthy of maximum road safety protection is insulting to the entire town. For Government members to boast in this debate about everything they are doing everywhere else is quite astounding. This is a specific problem that needs to be addressed. The crossing has been problematic for quite a long time because it is on a steep hill. It is far worse when trucks approach from the south, as the member for Orange mentioned. It is not just problematic for school students, although it primarily affects them.

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I have taken elderly relatives across that road many times to go to church and been scared that they cannot cross fast enough before the oncoming traffic. That is a problem on weekends for church services and also during the week for funerals. But it is primarily a problem during school drop-offs and pick‑ups in the morning and afternoon every day and it has been a problem for many years. To wipe this motion off the and replace it with an amendment that pats the Government on the back for what it is doing everywhere else in the State is ridiculous. We want a proper solution and we want road safety around every single school throughout the State. To suggest that there are not enough kids in Canowindra to worry about it while the Government is busy patting itself on the back is ridiculous and insulting. I strongly urge the House to reject the Government's amendment and to support the motion as moved by the member for Orange.

Ms ELENI PETINOS (Miranda) (12:34):

:50 I will speak about the importance of school safety in not just the community of Canowindra but also all communities across New South Wales. Providing a safe environment for students adjacent to school premises is paramount. The New South Wales Government has a strong focus on improving the visibility of 40 kilometre per hour school zones and children's pedestrian crossings to protect children around schools. The Government acknowledges that there is a wide community belief that zebra crossings are safer than alternative facilities. However, research by practitioners around the world and experience throughout our State has led to improved knowledge of the functionality and appropriateness of zebra crossings.

School crossings become active when orange flags are displayed. The orange flags provide further awareness to motorists about children crossing the road. Motorists are required to stop six metres before the crossing line and remain stationary until pedestrians on or about to enter the crossing have completed their crossing. The identification of the most appropriate pedestrian crossing facility should take into account a range of additional factors including location, adjacent land use and desire lines, speeds, sightlines, stopping distances, traffic lanes and volumes. Where these warrants are not satisfied, we encourage caution and care of the potential risks when considering the placement of a zebra crossing.

Predictable crossing solutions ensure that pedestrians and motorists are exposed to consistent and easily recognised conditions across the network. On 31 January 2019 the Premier announced an $18.5 million funding commitment for 300 new school crossing supervisors. Previously a school crossing had to be used by 300 cars as well as at least 50 unaccompanied primary school students per hour in the morning and afternoon to be eligible for a supervisor. Under the change they will only need to meet one of the criteria in the morning or afternoon. This means more schools will be eligible for a school crossing supervisor. School zone safety is also about public awareness and ensuring that road safety messages are reaching the whole community.

Whether your child attends a busy inner city school like Glenmore Road Public School, like any of the schools in my electorate, or a primary school in a quiet rural community like Canowindra Public School, the road safety messages are the same. Children need to stop, look, listen and think before stepping out onto a safe place on the road. A grown-up should always hold the hand of a young child when crossing the road. Motorists also need to be aware of children's safety, particularly young motorists who are likely to be driving around school zones on their P1 licences. This is about making decisions that help to keep drivers, pedestrians and bicycle riders safe. That is what we are working towards. By 2056 we want New South Wales roads to be free of deaths and serious injuries. I commend the amendment from the member for Cootamundra to the House.

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (12:38):

:50 By leave: I thank the member for Orange for moving the motion and I thank the member for Cootamundra for moving her amendment.

Mrs Helen Dalton:

Shame.

Mr MARK COURE:

Be nice. School crossings are an integral and important part of school communities and local areas. As the Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure mentioned, earlier this year the Government announced that 300 more lollipop school crossing supervisors would be provided over the next four years. When the Premier and then Minister for Education Rob Stokes announced that $18.5 million investment they said that the program would help protect children and improve visibility for motorists. Keeping our kids safe is our number one priority. Every child in New South Wales should be able to get to and from school safely. School crossing supervisors play an important role in our local communities. Under previous requirements a crossing had to be used by at least 300 cars and 50 students per hour in the morning or afternoon to be eligible for a supervisor. Under the changes, the criteria are much better and it is easier to qualify.

During my eight years as a member of Parliament we have won many battles to ensure that schools in high-traffic areas receive school crossings supervisors, including Penshurst West Public School, Hurstville Public School, Hurstville Adventist School, Lugarno Public School and Penshurst Public School. The Government's initiative will ensure that more schools will be eligible for a lollipop school crossing supervisor, including 69 schools that have applied in the past two years and have, for whatever reason, been rejected. Over many years I have campaigned to have school crossing supervisors at additional schools, including at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Oatley, where I went to school, at Mortdale Public School, where my son goes to school, and at Penshurst—

Mr Philip Donato:

All city schools.

Mr MARK COURE:

I will help you with your campaign as well. I am not playing politics on this issue; members opposite are.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Felicity Wilson):

The member for Oatley will not respond to interjections.

Mr MARK COURE:

Those campaigns continue. Recently we delivered a school crossing supervisor at Mortdale Public School, which is in a high-traffic area. The school and the P&C had wanted a lollipop supervisor for more than a decade. In fact, that school has three crossings on Coleborne Avenue and Railway Parade. I went to school at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Oatley, where 35 years ago my late mum and the P&C campaigned for a pedestrian crossing. Recently we were able to add a lollipop supervisor. A number of schools and churches in Oatley use a particular crossing on Rosa Street. Under this Government, the school crossing supervisor program currently funds up to 1,200 supervisors at around 800 school crossings across the State. We have made that program a priority. This Government has installed more than 5,500 school flashing lights and there is now at least one set of them at every school in New South Wales. The Government is rolling out the school crossing supervisor program in as many locations as possible. I commend the amendment moved by the member for Cootamundra to the House.

Mr PHILIP DONATO (Orange) (12:43):

:06 In reply: I reject the amendment moved by the member for Cootamundra on a number of grounds. I like and respect the member for Cootamundra, who has no doubt been led down the garden path to push the amendment, but she is attempting to delete any reference to the township of Canowindra and the issues pertaining to the two local schools. The member for Cootamundra, whose electorate is just over the river from Canowindra, should realise that the people of Canowindra will not take the amendment very nicely. In essence, she has snubbed her nose at them. She has given them the bird and said, "Canowindra doesn't count. We don't care about Canowindra. All we're worried about is patting ourselves on the back and telling everyone how great we are." She is ignoring the real issue.

I cannot believe we are debating such a simple solution to a problem. It will save lives in our community. It should not require debate in this place, but it has gotten to that stage. I am not going to let the people of my community—especially the children—suffer or be put at risk when the solution is obvious, affordable and can be easily achieved with the stroke of a pen. I am not playing politics on this. I want the people of Canowindra and the students and children who attend those schools to be safe. The school is on a major highway. None of the schools mentioned earlier by any other member is on a major highway where there are frequently trucks, B‑doubles and semi-trailers.

Roads and Maritime Services [RMS] raised concerns about the installation of a pedestrian crossing and the two principals from the respective schools rejected the proposal. Those principals, who are there every day to hear the complaints from parents and students, are best placed to make a call on this. The fact that some RMS inspector or bureaucrat felt that it would be unsafe to install a pedestrian crossing outside two schools on a highway defies common sense and logic. It is, quite frankly, stupid. I appreciate the contributions of the member for Cootamundra, the member for Murray, the member for Clarence, the member for Granville, the member for Oatley and the member for Miranda to this debate.

The member for Granville—a Canowindra girl—grew up in Canowindra and attended the local school. She gave direct evidence of what she personally experienced. She says that to this day when she takes members to the church at the school she is concerned about crossing that busy road. I honestly cannot understand why the Government has dug its heels in on this issue. If anyone is playing politics it is Government members. The Government needs to swallow its medicine and its pride and do the right thing by the people of Canowindra. It might save lives.

The member for Miranda talked about the 2056 zero fatalities goal. This would go a long way to achieving that. After the debate today I do not want to go back to the community of Canowindra and tell them that their matter was whitewashed and totally ignored and that we will have to wait for a fatality before action is taken. We should not be reactive; we should be proactive. I reject the amendment and commend the motion to the House.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Felicity Wilson):

The question is that the amendment be agreed to.

The House divided.

Ayes45

Noes42

Majority3

Amendment agreedto.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Felicity Wilson):

The question is that the motion as amended be agreed to.

Motion as amended agreed to.