Devon Meadows Primary School teacher Phil Wilmoth is forced to walk students, such as Joshua, Amy and Teonii, safely across busy Cross Road because there is no school crossing.By Alison Noonan
DEVON Meadows Primary School will receive two school crossings — if the surrounding roads are sealed.
Casey Council has said it could only place a supervised crossing on Cross Road and an unmanned crossing on Worthing Road when both of the dirt routes were made.
Council officers acknow-ledged the school was in need of improved safety measures following the revelation that principal Peter Hicks was forced to escort students across the busy roads after school himself.
A report presented to councillors at last week’s Casey Council meeting said that 25 to 35 students gathered at a designated meeting point at 3.35pm daily where they were guided safely across both roads.
“The principal at this school is very pro-active and willing to help the school community,” the report said.
It said that although Cross Road was found to meet VicRoads’ traffic requirements for the construction of a supervised school crossing, it could not be deemed legal without marked stop lines on the road.
“In its current form (gravel/dirt surface), stop lines cannot be painted on the surface of Cross Road.”
The council report said there were no other examples in Victoria of school crossings on unsealed roads.
It said the crossings could be constructed if council proceeded with its special charge scheme to make residents contribute to the sealing of Cross Road.
But with property owners battling with council to abandon the scheme, other options needed to be considered.
The report stated that council officers had investigated the possibility of installing white concrete beams on the gravel as an alternative if residents refused the special charge scheme.
However this would make grader maintenance difficult, increase the potential for vehicle damage and council liability and heighten the danger to pedestrians.
It said the more practical option would be for council to seal a 50-metre section of the road where the crossing would be located.
“This would afford safe operation of the crossing, its continued compliance with the law and a safe suitable operation environment for the supervisor,” the report said.
Balla Balla Ward councillor Colin Butler said council had agreed to proceed with the special charge scheme for the sealing of Cross Road at Tuesday night’s general purposes committee meeting.
He said residents could fight the decision at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
