Parents plea: please slow down for our kids!

Parents at Cowes Primary School have pleaded for drivers to observe the School Safety Zones, after a rocky start to the school year.

And principals from schools across the shire have supported the call.

Traffic along Settlement Road in Cowes is always busy during school pick-up and drop-off times.

However Sarah Pendry said she was alarmed at some of the behaviour she witnessed from drivers in the first weeks back at school.

“Drivers weren’t observing the speed limit, and the School Crossing lady was almost run down because someone didn’t want to wait. Tradies' vans were tooting their horns at us and one driver even abused the crossing supervisor and yelled at her to get off the road.

“I felt like it was a disaster waiting to happen.”

With so much of the school year effected by lockdown in 2020, Sarah thinks some drivers have forgotten about the school zones.

As well as months of homeschooling, when schools did reopen, pick-up times were split, to limit exposure and comply with Covid regulations.

“Last year with Covid, we did split pick up and that made a huge difference, but that’s not the normal.”

Principal Rod McKenzie said the school no longer had staggered finish times.

“They were to aid physical distancing and the current guidelines from the Education Department was to cease that.”

He agreed with school attendance returning to normal, the broader community might need a reminder about the school zones.

“It is always busy at the end of the day, and that’s compounded if it’s wet, as more parents do the pick-up in a car. No one likes sitting in traffic, but if we are, it’s important to follow the road rules.

“The safety of students is extremely important and if everyone does the right thing, we can maximise student safety.”

Mr McKenzie said information about the importance of parking in the right areas and observing the school zone restrictions was sent to parents in the school newsletters.

“We also talk to the students regularly about using the school crossing.”

He said if the broader community was aware of the busy times, drivers could choose an alternative route or “be prepared to be patient”. The afternoon traffic snarl usually only lasts for around 15 minutes.

The growth of the industrial area on Settlement Road, as well as a surge in school enrolments has added to the traffic in the area.

The Cowes kinder and daycare centre is also located next to the school.

“Maybe people don’t understand this is a school zone, but everyone needs to be a little more patient,” Sarah said.

She recommended other drivers avoid the section of Settlement Road around the school during peak times, between 8.30am and 9am and again around 3.30pm.

Mr McKenzie said the School Council was looking at ways to improve safety around the current school crossing and pick-up times.

Schools united

Catherine Blackford from Our Lady Star of the Sea said road safety was a constant concern for their school community.

“Drivers certainly do not adhere to the 40km/h speed limit in the school zone,” she said.

“In fact at times the drivers are driving above the 60km limit on the Cowes-Rhyll Road.”

She said she was very thankful the new footpath from Redwood Drive to Thompson Avenue was constructed late last year.

“I'm sure the students from other local schools will also be very grateful as they catch their buses on Thompson Avenue. The worry many community members have is that once the pedestrians get to Thompson Avenue it is near impossible for them to cross due to the amount of traffic most days.”

Ms Blackford said a pedestrian crossing would be in place once building work at the school was completed.

“At present we do not have a school crossing supervisor, so all staff are out on duty after school and the children are walked safely across Cowes Rhyll Road.”

Over in San Remo Primary School, Principal Karen Bowker said a grant from Vic Roads would be used to improve safety for children around the school area.

She said members of the school council were working with Bass Coast Shire Council to put in place a range of measures, including additional signage or stickers on pathways to direct students on the safest path.

The school is hoping the current footpath on Thomas Grove can be extended and there are safety concerns about a cross over point near the sharp bend from Thomas into Ocean Grove.

Ms Bowker said another cross over point in Bergin Grove, near the supermarket carpark, was a concern.

“The children have to cross the road because the footpath ends. We’re trying to get an audit of traffic flow and car parking in the area, to see where we could have safety barriers, or clearer marking for the flow of cars.”

Parents currently use the San Remo Rec Centre car park as a drop off and pick-up point for the school.

“As a community, we all need to be mindful,” Ms Bowker said.

“Students are a precious commodity, and they don’t always follow the road rules because they’re still learning.

“We have to be conscious of them at all times.”