SCHOOL ZONE FLASHING LIGHTS FOR MOOREFIELD GIRLS’ HIGH AND JAMES COOK BOYS TECHNOLOGY HIGH SCHOOLS

MEDIA RELEASE

The Hon Frank Sartor MP

Minister for Planning

Minister for Refern Waterloo

Minister for the Arts

Member for Rockdale

8 July 2008

 

Member for Rockdale, Frank Sartor today announced new-generation flashing lights and electronic alert system technology will be installed at the corner of Rocky Point Road and President Avenue in Kogarah to improve school safety for Moorefield Girls' High and James Cook Boys' Technology High Schools.

"This is the next stage in the Iemma Government's four-year, $46.5 million roll out of this new technology," Mr Sartor said.

The new technology is expected to be installed by the middle of this year.

"I'm pleased that both Moorefield Girls' and James Cook Boys' Tech have been selected to receive this technology," Mr Sartor said.

"These school zones were chosen using criteria including but not limited to, traffic volumes, vehicle speeds, pedestrian activity and crash history.

"This state-of-the-art technology has been shown to slow drivers down and will increase safety for pupils along Rocky Point Road and President Avenue as they make their way to or from school.

"This new technology was found to be highly visible and effective at slowing people down."

The $46.5 million program is funded by school zone speed cameras.

"School zones are there to keep our children safe. There is no excuse for speeding, especially through a school zone," Mr Sartor said.

"If you don't speed through a school zone, you won't have a problem."

Flashing lights are just one component in improving school road safety.

A12-week evaluation of the new-generation flashing lights in the first half of 2007 found:

  • Motorists slowed down an average of 7.4km/h as they entered the school zones;
  • An extra 20 per cent of motorists stuck to the 40km/h school zone speed limit compared to before the lights were installed, meaning 60 per cent of motorists drove at or below the speed limit;
  • The electronic warning systems used in the trial achieved a 98.2 per cent reliability rating. The flashing lights are equipped with back-to-base monitoring.

"This technology is working and slowing down drivers in school zones," Mr Sartor said.