A MEDIAN strip may be installed in Kiewa Street near the entrance to Albury's St Patrick's Parish School to improve the safety of students.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Albury Council chief executive Frank Zaknich flagged the possibility in reply to city councillor Murray King calling for a traffic island along the stretch between Smollett and Hume streets.
"Albury City will review traffic movements around St Pat's school to identify any potential improvements, including the feasibility of a pedestrian refuge in Kiewa Street," Mr Zaknich said.
"Following previous investigations, council recently approved an extension of the school drop off/pick up zone to improve safety during the peak periods at the start and end of each school day.
"We will continue to work with the school to improve safety."
We really think it's a matter of when, not if, there will be a serious accident there.
- Leah Wiseman, school council chairwoman
"There's absolutely no need for it in Swift Street and a definite need for it in Kiewa Street," Cr King said.
"It should be there, there are primary school aged children being led across by parents and those parents are often pushing other children in pushers.
"There's buses there, there's a 700 car park facility on the other side of the road and it's utilised 70 to 80 per cent of the day, so there's 500 people walking across the road."
Mr Zaknich said the Swift Street crossing remained subject to a resolution.
St Parish's school co-principal Rob Unsworth said the safety situation in Kiewa Street was a continual concern.
"We spend an extraordinary amount of time trying to convince our parents to use the traffic lights at either Smollett Street or Hume Street," Mr Unsworth said.
He said the school had been told by the council that a crossing outside the gate would not be built due to the proximity of the traffic lights.
St Patrick's school council chairwoman Leah Wiseman echoed Mr Unsworth's fears.
"We are just so worried about the safety of kids outside our school," she said.
"We really think it's a matter of when, not if, there will be a serious accident there."
Mrs Wiseman said the safety risks were stressed to new parents and highlighted regularly on Facebook.