Call for crossings

By Melissa Grant
CONCERNED parents are calling for more school crossings and better signage at Pakenham Springs Primary School.
The recently opened school in the Heritage Springs Estate has a crossing on McGregor Road but they say more needs to be put in place to ensure the safety of the school’s 240-odd students.
Jenny Woolard, whose three children attend the school, is calling for designated places for children to cross on Henry Road and Livingstone and Heritage boulevards.
“Sometimes I cringe because they (students) cross that road because a car is coming,” Ms Woolard said.
She was also concerned about signage near the school.
“With Livingstone Boulevard there’s no proper signage to say there is a school in the area,” she said.
Last week Bass MP Ken Smith and Eastern Victoria MP Edward O’Donohue visited the school to discuss options for additional road safety measures.
“Pakenham Springs Primary is in a new area of Pakenham and some residents may not be aware of the changed traffic conditions or that there is, in fact, a school now operating there,” Mr Smith said.
“As drivers we need to be extra cautious around schools and especially during pick-up and drop-off times, and Pakenham Springs Primary School needs the additional signage to enhance driver awareness.”
Cardinia Shire Council’s operations manager Charles Taveira said community safety was a key priority for the council which was working closely with local residents and Pakenham Springs Primary School to ensure children had safe access.
Mr Taveira said traffic studies had been conducted to assess the school’s crossing needs and the results were currently being analysed.
They will then be submitted to VicRoads and the report will recommend further school crossings where necessary.
“Normally, crossings are not provided until some time after the school has opened to allow student movements to and from school to be monitored and the results analysed,” he said.
“However, with the cooperation of VicRoads, the McGregor Road crossing has been in operation from the first day of the term.”