Casey councillor Amanda Stapledon and Cranbourne Carlisle Primary School council president Arbup Peters are hoping to see more crossings installed at the school. 55968Picture: Stewart Chambers
By Bridget Cook
THE local and school community at Cranbourne Carlisle Park Primary School are calling for more manned crossing surrounding the school as they fear children’s lives are in danger.
The Cranbourne North primary school currently has one supervised school crossing along Silky Oaks Drive, but school council president Arbup Peters said there needs to be more as there was nothing on the other three sides of the school.
“Basically, we are trying to encourage children to walk around to the crossing and use it, but they are not doing that,” he said.
“Instead they are crossing anywhere, dodging cars and crossing in between cars.
“It’s not a safe environment at all. We don’t want an accident, but it’s going to happen if something’s not done.”
Mr Peters said the school’s biggest priority was to get a manned crossing on Spring Hill Drive, but at least two more were needed.
He called on Casey council to take action.
“We want the council to be proactive on this and not reactive,” he said.
He said the situation was only going to get worse in the near future.
“A new childcare and kindergarten facility is just about to open close by in the new year, and there’s no markings for another crossing there yet,” he said.
“A brand new Coles is getting built on the corner, so that is just going to bring increased traffic.”
At the past Casey council meeting, councillor Amanda Stapledon raised a motion for the council to prepare a timeframe as to when a school crossing is planned to be installed and manned on Spring Hill Drive, with a view to providing this at the earliest possible time frame.
Cr Stapledon said this was not the first time she had raised the issue.
“Late last year, I raised a motion to construct a road crossing at Cranbourne Carlisle Park Primary School along Spring Hill Drive,” she said.
“At that time, council officers did not believe there was a requirement.
“Currently, students and their parents can cross safety via a supervised school crossing along Silky Oaks Drive.
“However, children and their parents have to chance it along Spring Hill Drive with no crossing whatsoever.
“The heavy traffic, the safety of our children, the increased traffic associated with the Carlisle Children’s centre and the school population doubling by 2013 means a school crossing is required now.
“Residents who face Spring Hill Drive have phoned to express their real concern for the safety of the children along this road and have asked when a school crossing will be constructed before the danger becomes a reality.”
An officers’ report is due to be considered by councillors at the last meeting of the year.
