Danger drop-off

By Kath Gannaway
RESIDENTS of McMahon’s Creek are calling for a change to the school bus drop-off on McMahon’s Creek Road at Leith Road, which they say is an accident waiting to happen.
Stephen Boyd, whose two young sons catch the bus to and from East Warburton Primary School each day, said residents had been trying for the past few years to get a bus stop sign and shelter and, more pressingly, to get the bus to stop in a safer location when the children are dropped off after school. He said up to six children catch the bus.
Another parent, Candy Northern, said she had seen a child narrowly miss being hit by a car and had been told by the bus driver that her own daughter had also just missed being hit by a bus after getting dropped off.
Mr Boyd said: “The children get dropped off while the bus is in the middle of the road with oncoming vehicles allowed to do 80 kilometres an hour in the opposite direction while they depart the bus and cross the road behind it.”
There is a drop away from the road verge where the bus stops forcing the children to stand close to passing traffic as they wait to cross.
But Mr Boyd said there is a clearing just 20 metres further up the road which would provide a much safer point for children to get off the bus away from the road.
He said he had been told by the bus company, PM & DF Heath, that they cannot stop other than at the officially designated bus stops, and the owner, Peter Heath, confirmed this to the Mail.
“We have owned that run for 25 years and this has been an ongoing saga,” he said.
“We can’t change the stops. We are under contract to the Department of Infrastructure and have certain stops designated.
“If my drivers don’t stop where they are told to we are responsible (for any mishaps),” he said.
Following representations to Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato just over a year ago Mr Boyd was advised that the Shire of Yarra Ranges had investigated the matter and that improvements were currently being made to bus stops between Warburton and East Warburton.
Shire of Yarra Ranges manager of community relations James Martin said the council would be happy to look at the situation.
“There can be difficulties about shelters on school routes but if residents feel the area is unsafe then it may be that something can be done,” he said.
Mr Boyd remains frustrated that despite raising the issue with politicians, the school bus coordinator, the Shire of Yarra Ranges and VicRoads, no progress has been made. “No-one will help or work together,” he said. “It is disgraceful … to continue to drop them off in the middle of a dangerous road.”