PARENTS of Thurgoona Public School students might be in line for some relief from traffic issues around the school at drop-off and pick-up times.
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Albury MP Greg Aplin says education minister Rob Stokes and director of educational leadership, Dr Brad Russell, have been in touch regarding community concerns about the amount of traffic at peak times.
The school’s P&C committee will now run a survey to ascertain the pick-up habits of parents.
“The Thurgoona Public School P&C, supported by the school will conduct a survey to ascertain the essential pick-up arrangements of parents so consideration may be given to staggering pick-up times for students," Mr Aplin said.
"The Minister advised that Albury City Council, in consultation with RMS, has agreed to consider options for the improvement of the Thurgoona Drive/Bottlebrush Street intersection.
"As a long term solution, Council advised that they are going to investigate the relocation of the bus bay and pick-up point, moving from Bottlebrush Street to Thurgoona Drive.”
Mr Aplin said relocating bus zones had been effective measures at both Albury High School and Murray High School, and would make sense for Thurgoona.
“Bottlebrush Street was designed as a residential street, a lot has been done to provide staff parking, but there's not an enormous amount of space for parking for drop-offs,” he said.
“I have discussed with council options at the rear of the school.
“The relationship of having parents dropping children nearby the school and other children is not a good or safe mix, so it is possible that bus zones could be relocated.
“Bus zones at Albury High and Murray High have been successfully changed, so it may be time to look at this option for Thurgoona Public.”
Mr Aplin said enforcing the cap on out of zone enrolments would ease traffic.
Thurgoona Public School had 492 enrolments in 2017, according the MySchool website.
“The school has also had an enrolment ceiling set, non-local enrolments capped and the catchment zones will be enforced.”
"Thurgoona Public School has approximately 10 per cent of its students from outside the school catchment.
“Enforcing those catchments will make sure the school primarily serves the Thurgoona area.
"It is pleasing to see the school community, the Council and Roads and Maritime Service working together towards a better outcome for the movement of students before and after school."
Albury Council also floated changed to Elizabeth Mitchell Drive and Thurgoona Drive in April's draft budget.
