CONCERNED mother, Jacinta Ferris believes a child will be seriously hurt or even killed if the speed limit at a school crossing in Cohuna is not reduced.
Mrs Ferris is preparing to write to road authority, VicRoads to request that the speed limit be cut from 60km/h to 40km/h at the Sampson Street school crossing, near the corner of Hall Street, Cohuna from 8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm.
“I am not asking for big flashy signs like what are on the crossing on King George Street (Murray Valley Highway), which is also manned, but just 40km/h signs to be placed stating school times,” she wrote.
“The road is dual-lane each side with a median strip, and with it being 60km/h I feel it is too dangerous for children to be crossing as a lot of cars do not slow down or stop, and feel that a child will be seriously hurt or killed if there is nothing done about it.
“I understand VicRoads has guidelines [to determine speed restrictions] and after reading these this crossing is on a B Double graded road, has more than 20 children that would use it and has a 60km/h speed limit.
“As far as the 300 vehicles in an hour, sorry but what a load of bull. The main highway crossings in country Victoria wouldn’t get that much traffic…they are 40km/h and manned.”
The VicRoads-managed Sampson Street crossing, which is on the main route to Pyramid Hill, is currently unsupervised.
Mrs Ferris has received supporting letters from the town’s two primary schools and secondary college.
“We at St Mary’s, Cohuna have 106 students in our school and around 20 per cent of these students use this crossing daily. As our job is keeping our students safe at all times, we believe that the speed along Sampson Street should be slower that it currently is,” principal, Lucy Keath wrote.
“We see people drive through that crossing where the children are waiting to cross, without stopping. We see people driving cautiously because of the sun blinding the driver and children beginning to cross are not seen.”
Sergeant Andrew Rigg said he supports any actions to make roads safer for children.
“We remind people to drive to the conditions and environment. Just because the speed limit is 60km/h, it does not mean you have to drive that fast,” he said.
