Full support for flashing lights

Bondi Beach Public School will receive a new set of flashing lights in a bid to provide extra road safety for children.

Waverley Mayor Sally Betts praised the initiative, and said road safety and traffic were ongoing issues in Waverley. The move aims to ensure improved road conditions by slowing motorists down around the children.

“I think the increase is essential,” Ms Betts said. “We really support having flashing lights at all our schools if we can have that.”

Ms Betts said road safety was paramount with Council “one of the most densely populated councils” in Australia.

Member for Vaucluse Gabrielle Upton echoed the sentiments, placing her full support behind every school in the state receiving flashing lights by December 2015.

Ms Betts supported the State Government’s plan to increase the budget of this rollout from $19 million to $32 million, arguing the flashing lights initiative was crucial to keeping Waverley residents and school children safe.

“Non-Waverley residents frequently use the roads on which many of the schools are located,” she said.
Maria Hardy, Principal of Bondi Beach Public School, said she is thrilled about the introduction of flashing lights and that the safety of the children was pivotal.

“Motorists are often unaware they are in a school zone and the new flashing lights will help keep our children safe when coming to and from school,” she said.

Justin Bonsey of the Bondi Beach Responsible Runners said crossing roads in the area can be dangerous, especially for pedestrians.

“The more flashing lights we have, the more people will get used to them … which could slow traffic down,” he said.

Mr Bonsey said motorists needed to take greater caution when driving in order to avoid dangerous incidents and prevent pedestrians from being harmed.

By Myles Stedman