Safety lesson

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
A LOCAL timber yard manager has stepped up to save the lives of school children at a potential pedestrian death trap in Yarra Junction.
Timber yard manager Rob McMahon said he had been patrolling the corner of Warburton Highway and George Street every morning and afternoon, worried for the safety of students from Yarra Junction Primary School.
He said once the school bell sounded, the children were so keen to get home they ran, rode and scootered across George Street without stopping to look for traffic.
“Meanwhile people are doing u-turns to come out of the carpark, they turn illegally across the road – right in front of the police station – it’s a massive shemozzle,” he said. “I’m not a parent myself but I care for the kids, they’re our future.”
While there haven’t been any fatalities yet, a child was hit at Station Street last year, the next street up from George Street.
Mr McMahon said while he had no gripe with the school or the children, he was tempted to paint a zebra crossing on the road so drivers at least had a responsibility to be careful. “A lot of the kids will now say ‘Good Morning Rob’, stop, look and cross the road…but if I’m not outside they’re not paying attention,” he said.
Mr McMahon said he had spoken to the police, the Yarra Ranges Council, and VicRoads but nobody could give him a solution.
“It’s not my problem to work out what to do, it’s my problem if some little kid dies here,” he said.
Concerned residents and the school believe George Street became dangerous after a right-hand turn was taken away from the school car park when new traffic lights were completed two years ago.
Vehicles leaving the car park must now turn left onto Warburton Highway, where many will then make an illegal u-turn over the highway and around George Street to continue in the opposite direction.
Students take part in a formal traffic safety program at the school, and notices are regularly in the school newsletter to parents about child road safety.
But Yarra Junction Primary School principal Chris Thomas said there was a general consensus around the school that the removal of the right-hand turn had made the traffic more dangerous.
“Our parents and the school were very upset when they took out the right hand turn,” he said.
“It had been there since the car park was built, but it was removed as soon as we got the lights.
“We’ve been trying to ask VicRoads how the change from a lollypop person to crossing lights can make a difference with the right-hand turn.”
Jeanette and Geoff Lewellin live up George Street, and walk down twice a day to collect one of their children from school.
“We don’t cross the road but we see what happens every day,” Mr Lewellin said.
“We have to be very careful with the kids.” Another parent, who wished not to be named, walks with her children along the highway daily, and said she could definitely see the problem was at George Street.
Yarra Ranges Council has previously investigated the number of pedestrians crossing the highway, which Engineering Director Mark Vermalis said were not sufficient to qualify the school for another crossing.
VicRoads regional director Duncan Elliott said the installation of pedestrian facilities along George Street was a matter for council to consider, but that VicRoads would need to give approval based on speed limit, vehicle and pedestrian numbers. Meanwhile, the parents and school just want their right-hand turn from the car park reinstated.