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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Delays, red tape frustrate parents begging for school crossing

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Parents at Loch Primary School in Victoria, Australia, have campaigned for seven years for safety upgrades, including a pedestrian crossing and speed signs.
  • Despite ongoing lobbying and a recent incident where a child was hit by a car, parents fear the council's planned crossing for next year may be too late.
  • Concerns have been passed between state and local government departments for years, with parents frustrated by bureaucratic delays and a lack of action on safety measures.

For seven years, parents at Loch Primary School in Victoria have pleaded for basic safety measures, a campaign that has seen children grow up and new students arrive, yet the road remains perilous. Mel Sharples, whose eldest son Marley is now in high school, began advocating for a pedestrian crossing when he was in prep. Today, the school and its parents continue to push for flashing 40-kilometer-per-hour zone signs and a proper crossing.

For years the school has pleaded for safety upgrades, flashing 40 kilometre zone (signs), and a proper crossing.

— Mel SharplesA parent describing the long-standing campaign for safety improvements at the school.

The absence of safe road access near the Gippsland primary school, located 90 minutes southeast of Melbourne, forces parents to improvise. With no parking at the school, some park on the roadside to watch their children, while others use a gravel spot near a church, which is now slated for development into accommodation. This precarious situation was highlighted last month when a nine-year-old boy was hit by a car while attempting to cross the road to get to school.

He simply was trying to get to the school, just to cross the road. That's all he was trying to do.

— Mel SharplesDescribing the incident where a nine-year-old child was hit by a car.

Parents express deep frustration with the slow pace of bureaucratic processes, feeling their concerns have been repeatedly passed between state and local government departments since at least 2020. Emails reveal that Loch Primary School staff and parents alerted both the Department of Education and the South Gippsland Shire to safety issues years ago. The school has been told flashing lights are not possible due to budget constraints, and insufficient parking exacerbates the safety risks, as children often cross to reach their parents' vehicles.

We have been told we will not receive flashing lights due to budget restraints. There is also insufficient parking for staff and parents.

— Loch Primary School spokespersonExplaining the school's advocacy for safety upgrades and the reasons given for their absence.

While the local council plans to build a pedestrian crossing by mid-next year, some parents worry this timeline is insufficient and potentially too late, given the recent accident. They are calling for immediate action on safety signs and adequate parking, emphasizing that their primary goal is simply to ensure their children can be dropped off and picked up safely. The ongoing delays and perceived inaction leave parents feeling unheard and their concerns unaddressed.

That is the beginning, middle, and end of what we're after. A safe crossing, and plenty of places to park safely.

— Jess BellA mother of two at the primary school, stating the parents' core demands.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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