Decision - Safety Audit of Local Schools

Safety Audit of Local Schools

Decision Maker: Council

Decision status: Recommendations Determined

Decisions:

By Councillor Scott

It is resolved that:

(A) Council note:

(i) a recent serious incident in the shared zone in Whitehorse Street, Newtown, highlighted a significant traffic and pedestrian safety concern in the vicinity of Newtown Public School;

(ii) the good work of City staff to respond to this incident, including:

(a) the immediate removal of a garden bed installed in December 2018 which obstructed pedestrian flow and forced foot traffic into Whitehorse Street;

(b) stationing traffic controllers in the area to direct traffic and prevent further incidents occurring;

(d) seeking medium and long-term solutions to improve pedestrian safety at the intersection of Whitehorse Street and King Street, Newtown; and

(iii) schools are a site of pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the local government area, and children constitute a particularly vulnerable pedestrian group; and

(B) the Chief Executive Officer be requested to:

(i) conduct a pedestrian and traffic safety audit on areas in the vicinity of primary and secondary schools in the local government area, including consultation with community members and school principals and P&C organisations as part of this safety audit;

(ii) investigate solutions to issues and areas of concern identified as part of the safety audit; and

(iii) provide a report on the results to Councillors.

Note – at the meeting of Council, the content of the original Notice of Motion was varied by Councillor Scott. Subsequently, it was –

Moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by Councillor Forster –

It is resolved that:

(A) Council note:

(i) a recent serious incident in the shared zone in Whitehorse Street, Newtown, highlighted a significant traffic and pedestrian safety concern in the vicinity of Newtown Public School;

(ii) the good work of City staff to respond to this incident, including:

(a) the immediate removal of a garden bed installed in December 2018 which obstructed pedestrian flow and forced foot traffic into Whitehorse Street;

(b) stationing traffic controllers in the area to direct traffic and prevent further incidents occurring;

(d) seeking medium and long-term solutions to improve pedestrian safety at the intersection of Whitehorse Street and King Street, Newtown; and

(iii) the City currently undertakes a number of actions to support pedestrian and traffic safety around our local schools, including:

(a) writing to local schools at the start of each school year to offer assistance and seek information regarding 40km/hour school zones, pedestrian and cycle safety, bus safety and parking;

(b) the Active Schools pilot program to encourage parents and students to walk or cycle to school; and

(iv) schools are a site of pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the local government area, and children constitute a particularly vulnerable pedestrian group; and

(v) with the ongoing construction of the light rail and Westconnex projects, and a population increase of 38.9 per cent from 2008 to 2018, our City has undergone a number of changes to roads, transport and population over the last decade which effect safety around our schools;

(B) the Chief Executive Officer be requested to:

(i) prioritise road and pedestrian safety upgrades in the vicinity of local schools in future budget strategies so that appropriate infrastructure is available to support more walking and cycling to school by students and parents;

(ii) consider the creation of new safe walking and riding maps for each school community, highlighting the safest walking and cycling routes to local schools;

(iii) ensure to continue consultation with community members and school principals and P&C organisations as part of this process; and

(iv) provide a report on the results to Councillors.

Procedural Motion

At this stage of the meeting, it was moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by Councillor Scully –

That the Order of Business be amended such that the remainder of the discussion of Item 11.4 be deferred and dealt with at the end of the Council meeting.

Carried unanimously.

At the resumption of discussion of Item 11.4 –

Variation. At the request of Councillor Thalis, and by consent, the motion was varied, such that it read as follows –

It is resolved that:

(A) Council note:

(i) a recent serious incident in the shared zone in Whitehorse Street, Newtown highlighted a significant traffic and pedestrian safety concern in the vicinity of Newtown Public School;

(ii) the good work of City staff to respond to this incident, including;

(a) the immediate removal of a garden bed installed in December 2018 which obstructed pedestrian flow and forced foot traffic into Whitehorse Street;

(b) stationing traffic controllers in the area to direct traffic and prevent further incident occurring;

(d) seeking medium- and long-term solutions to improve pedestrian safety at the intersection of Whitehorse Street and King Street, Newtown.

(iii) schools are a site of pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the local government area, and children constitute a particularly vulnerable pedestrian group;

(iv) the City has a range of road safety measures targeted specifically to primary and secondary schools, including:

(a) the ‘Connecting Schools’ program where the City works with local primary schools to address concerns surrounding access and road safety;

(b) the ‘Walk or Wheel Wednesday’ pilot program which aims to facilitate future active travel initiatives and associated infrastructure needs;

(c) the proactive engagement with all 37 schools in the Local Government Area at the start of each school year to offer assistance and seek information regarding 40km/hour school zones, pedestrian and cycle safety, bus safety and parking;

(d) road safety officers who support principals and parent groups to take action on making walking and cycling to and from inner city schools safer and more enjoyable;

(e) the Active Schools pilot program to encourage parents and students to walk or cycle to school; and

(f) working directly with a number of local schools to investigate road safety improvements; and

(B) the Chief Executive Officer be requested to:

(i) engage with primary and secondary schools in the Local Government Area, including community members and school principals and P&C organisations about how the City can further support road safety initiatives around schools such as the Walk or Wheel Wednesday pilot and assisting parent and community school groups to apply for Community Road Safety Grants through Transport for NSW;

(ii) investigate solutions to issues and areas of concern identified as part of the school engagement;

(iii) prioritise road and pedestrian safety upgrades in the vicinity of local schools in future budget strategies so that appropriate infrastructure is available to support more walking and cycling to school by students and parents;

(iv) consider the creation of new safe walking and riding maps for each school community, highlighting the safest walking and cycling routes to local schools; and

(v) provide a report on the results to Councillors.

Variation. At the request of Councillor Thalis, and by consent, the motion was again varied, such that it read as follows –