By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
Danger concerns prompt petition…
FRUSTRATED parents have called on the Cardinia Shire Council to solve Pakenham Consolidated’s car parking and access problems before someone is injured.
Parking officers visited the school in March to advise that parking illegally would incur fines, but infuriated parents said they had no choice but to break the bylaws and last month presented a 238-signature petition to the council.
Debra, a parent from Pakenham Consolidated (who did not want her surname published), called for more parking and better road access around the school before someone was seriously injured.
“It’s definitely a danger to children’s safety and parents’ safety. There are disabled parents and disabled students at the school as well, and if they can’t park close enough to the school they are forced to negotiate the traffic,” she said.
“If they’re not keeping an eye out, someone’s going to get run over one day,” she said.
But Cardinia Shire’s assets and development manager Paul Richardson said while council had a responsibility to enforce parking and road rules around schools, this did not include providing school parking areas.
“The responsibility for providing parking and improving access at Pakenham Consolidated Primary does not rest with council,” he said.
“Council can assist with engineering advice or with organising works; however, the financing of any works remains the responsibility of the school or the Education Department.
“Council is the responsible authority for local roads around the school and has identified a number of minor improvements that are being implemented to improve safety and reduce traffic offences.”
A spokesperson for the Education Department said the department would only purchase or lease additional land if it was for educational purposes – which doesn’t include parking.
“Cardinia Shire and VicRoads are responsible for managing road and parking infrastructure in Pakenham, including the roads and parking around Pakenham Consolidated School,” the spokesperson said.
“The department acknowledges the shire’s recent work to improve traffic management for Pakenham Consolidated School through clearly sign posting the parking restrictions on the school’s boundary at Rundell Way.
“We have always been clear in discussions with the shire and the community that when we purchase or lease land, it is solely for educational use.”
In order to drop off and pick up students at Pakenham Consolidated, parents say many motorists park illegally including on the grassed section of Toomuc Reserve next to the school, which is owned by the State Government and managed by the council.
VicRoads acting regional director, metro south east Michael Barker said the road authority managed Princes Highway, while the council managed local roads and parking facilities.
“The school gates of Pakenham Consolidated School in Pakenham abut Rundell Way and Duncan Drive, both of which are Council managed roads,” Mr Barker said.
“VicRoads is responsible for the operation of Princes Highway and the traffic signals at Duncan Drive intersection. However, VicRoads is not aware of any access issues at this intersection.”
Debra said the parking problem could only be solved if parents, the council and the Department co-operated as one.
“We need to work together on this,” she said.
“Parents just want safe, adequate parking and disabled access.”
