A NEW crossing will be built at a primary school on the back of a people-power push from parents.
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Kootingal Public School will have new pedestrian safety features installed from Wednesday, after council announced it had $135,000 to spend on school traffic safety.
Sallie Vernon launched a petition in November last year after a spate of near misses at the school where three of her daughters attend.
“We got heaps of signatures and heaps of community support,” Ms Vernon said.
“I think it was around 500 to 600 signatures.”
Ms Vernon said she was sparked into action to ensure her kids’ safety outside the school, but said the community support got it over the line.
“It directly affected me and my children; my kids are my priority,” she said.
“The amount of feedback and inboxes I’d get saying ‘thank you so much for what you’re doing’.
“That made me push even harder for the community and our local kids.”
Ms Vernon believes there will be a safety island installed in the middle of Denman Ave outside the school, as well as kerb blisters on either side of the road.
St Nicholas Primary School, Tamworth Public School and Carinya Christian School at Calala are also in line for a range of road safety works jointly-funded by Tamworth Regional Council and Roads and Maritime Services (RMS).
A media release issued by Tamworth Regional Council outlined works to to be carried out at Carinya and and Tamworth public, but there was no information provided about the Kootingal works.
Council’s traffic committee chair, Phil Betts, said the works would provide safety improvements at each of the schools which have sought after for some time.
“The construction to be done varies at each school from installing pedestrian fencing, painting additional road markings, improvements to existing crossing with the addition of kerb blisters, adding doubles lines to the roadway to prevent U-turns, a new zebra crossing and creation of a ‘kiss-and-drop zone’.”
Works to be done at four schools
FOUR schools in the Tamworth region will benefit from road safety works starting this week.
As well as Kootingal’s primary school, St Nicholas’, Tamworth public and Carinya will have new pedestrian features added outside their grounds thanks to funding from Tamworth Regional Council and The Roads and Maritime Service (RMS).
“Carinya Christian School will gain a new zebra crossing in Boronia Drive and other measures which will be a significant safety win for students, parents and teachers,” TRC’s traffic committee chair Phil Betts said.
“While at Tamworth Public School there will be work done in Bourke, Napier and Brisbane streets including the addition of a ‘kiss and drop’ zone on the school side of Brisbane Street next to the existing school crossing.
“This will be a big help in reducing traffic congestion and easing parking demands during peak drop off and pick up times at the school and subsequently provide improved pedestrian safety.”
The works are expected to impact traffic conditions at each site and will be completed in June.