Council’s campaign for safer streets around Brisbane schools has kicked-started for Term Two, with close to 100 schools adopting new traffic management plans to ease congestion and boost safety.
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said Council was committed to helping students, parents and the local community travel safely around schools, by upgrading pedestrian crossings, enhancing school zones and developing tailored traffic plans.
“Council is committed to tackling traffic congestion around schools and has now finalised plans with 95 Brisbane schools to reduce congestion and boost road safety during drop-off and pick up times,” Cr Quirk said.
“Road safety around our schools is about protecting the safety of our children, which is why we have invested close to $1.5 million this financial year to upgrade school zones, pedestrian crossings and parking at schools.
“We’ve also expanded our Active School Travel program to include 46 schools this year, with students learning about road and public transport safety, as well as dedicating days for the community to walk or cycle to school.”
Cr Cooper said that Council was also working with school communities to raise awareness about the impacts of dangerous and illegal parking, to help families get home more quickly and safely.
“School communities have identified that some of the main concerns are parents illegally parking on yellow lines or in no standing areas, which is causing other vehicles to make dangerous manoeuvres with limited visibility, compromising safety of students,” Cr Cooper said.
“Many parents are also using drop ‘n’ go zones as parking while they walk their children into class, which restricts other parents from accessing these limited loading bays and causes congestion.
“Council is actively educating school communities to raise awareness about pedestrian and road safety issues, including installing high-visibility signage and formalising parking arrangements around schools to maximise parking opportunities.
“Parking around schools will always be a challenge during peak times, however, by reducing dangerous parking around schools and with better use of drop ‘n’ go zones, we can get students home more quickly and safely.
“During the coming term, Council will be focusing on 60 schools that have self-nominated, or have been community-nominated, for additional road safety patrols by Council to raise awareness about safe, legal parking around schools.”
For more information visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au or call Council on (07) 3403 8888.