Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison advised concerned parents to “contact their local MP” about a dangerous Cooalmon road with no bus stop. Photo: Facebook/Jenny Aitchison.
Coolamon children will still have to wait for their school bus on an 100 km/h zone road described as an “accident waiting to happen“, after the NSW Government declined a second request to lower the speed limit.
Earlier this year, Transport for NSW knocked back Coolamon Shire Council’s request to reduce the speed limit along Rannock and Millwood roads to 80 km/h, on the grounds that the length of the road was less than 2 km.
Region Riverina spoke with NSW Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison during her visit to Wagga last week and asked her if she thought it was acceptable that children should have to wait for their school bus next to traffic going past at 100km/h.
She said it would depend on the situation.
“My children caught the bus for many years on the New England Highway, and that section was 90 km/h,” Ms Aitchison said.
“But there was treatments around there which made it a safe place to be.
“One of the biggest things is it should be our safety experts and engineers that are making those determinations, but we always welcome feedback from the community.”
Coolamon Councillor Jeremy Crocker described the response as “mind-boggling”.
“We’re not asking for something that’s unsafe,” he said.
“We’re asking to make things safer. There is an easy option to fix it: just extend the two 50 km/h zones, but they just won’t do it.
“It’s simply a case of digging up two signs and moving them out about a car each way.
“The biggest thing is a need to have a bit of flexibility and getting in the real world, rather than in the rule book.”
The spot where students have to wait every morning. Photo: Supplied.
Retired police officer Jake Ellis drives his seven-year-old son to the “bus stop” and has taken it upon himself to supervise the other kids catching the bus to Coolamon Central School and St Michael’s Catholic School.
“There’s literally nowhere for them to stand. It’s like a 100 km/h main road,” he said.
“There are no bus stops. There’s nothing in place. There’s no signage saying that kids are crossing the road.
“You’ve got cars coming at 100, if not faster, and if they’re not familiar with the area, they don’t really know what’s going on.”
Ms Aitchison said the “best thing” for concerned parents was to contact their local member, Cootamundra MP Steph Cooke.
“[Ms Cooke] can raise that with me directly so we can have a look at how we can go,” she said.
“Speed zoning standards are really set at standards to ensure that there’s an expectation for roads at a certain speed limit that matches the configuration of the road and safety limits.
“Occasionally usages of roads change, or there might be a casual bust.”
Region later asked Ms Aitchison’s office if it would reconsider adding bus stops or lowing the speed limit.
“The operator has advised that the existing informal bus stop on Rannock Road has been assessed and deemed a suitable location,” a spokesperson said.
“The locations of these informal bus stops along a current route are generally communicated between bus operators and parents.
“The operator also advised that any change to the current route considers factors including demand, based upon students registered with the School Student Transport Scheme.
“Transport continues to work with the operator to monitor, review and where applicable, respond to request changes for services.”
Transport for NSW did not answer Region’s question about why it prioritised parameters such as driveways and road lengths over residents’ and children’s safety.
