By Brendan Rees
Two St Francis de Sales Primary School students are leading a charge in lobbying Casey Council to address the “serious problem” of traffic on busy roads.
In their letters to council, Grade Six student Ayden Braganza said speed humps were needed along Alpine Heath Way in Lyndhurst while Grade Five student Mariangela Dominic launched a petition for council to build more roads in Casey.
Mariangela said many residents shared her concerns that traffic congestion across the City of Casey was simply “wasting fuel, time or money.”
“To support my complaint I took a petition of adults and children who are also agreeing to my issue that is clearly disturbing them,” said Mariangela.
“Instead of focusing on freeways, governments should change the way we pay for other roads and public transport,” she stated in her letter.
Ayden conducted a poll on the Lyndhurst Community Facebook page as to whether residents were inconvenienced with the “steady stream” of traffic with roundabouts every morning in Lynbrook, particularly the intersection of Alpine Heath Way and Mellington Drive.
“A total of 175 responses were recorded in four hours,” Ayden said. “Out of which 158 people (90.3 per cent) agreed that they were inconvenienced, while another 17 people (9.7 per cent) said they were unaffected.”
He said speed humps along Alpine Heath Way would provide a “smoother flow of traffic on all directions.”
Casey Councillor Damien Rosario tabled Mariangela’s 19-strong petition at a 21 August council meeting with a motion passed by councillors to investigate both students’ concerns.Cr Rosario was taken aback by the students’ efforts saying it “warms my heart and makes me think the future is much brighter.”
He also told councillors the letters were “well detailed” and “well researched” as well as “constructive suggestions” on how to improve Casey’s gridlock.
Cr Amanda Stapledon said she was also impressed with the students and agreed Alpine Heath Way was a “wide stretch of road” open to hoons.
Council will write letters to the students acknowledging their contribution to community safety, and advise them of the outcome of their efforts.
The students’ letters come after Grade 5 student Joanna from St Francis de Sales Primary also forwarded a petition to council in July calling for a crossing supervisor to be installed at the front of their school.
A report will come back to council as soon as practical.
