Petition urges crossing for schools in Torquay North

MORE than 400 people have signed a petition urging the Surf Coast Shire council to install a crossing in Torquay North to improve safety for pupils at two schools in the area.

Councillors officially received the 424-signature petition at their meeting last month.

The petition states there is an “urgent need” to install a crossing at the intersection of Legacy Drive and South Beach Road so it can be used by pupils at Lisieux Catholic Primary School and Torquay Coast Primary School.

Legacy Drive runs south from South Beach Road and is about halfway between both schools.

“Many students who walk or ride to school utilise the children’s crossings on Horseshoe Bend Road and/or Stretton Drive, but this only gets the Lisieux students partway to school safely,” the petition states.

“Torquay Coast students coming from the high end of South Beach Road also need to cross at this intersection. Yes, all of these students need to cross Legacy Drive no matter what!

“The heavy congestion and poor vision on the corner of Legacy Drive and South Beach Road means our kids are at risk when crossing here every day.

“The further development of Stretton Estate only means the congestion on Legacy Drive will increase over time.

“There has already been at least one near miss at this intersection!”

The petition states about 33 per cent of existing pupils at Lisieux Catholic Primary School walk or ride to school every day and the school had a projected cohort of 360, and Torquay Coast Primary School already had 470 pupils.

“We want to encourage our kids to have healthy lifestyles and to be physically active. Students who walk or ride to school are contributing to their activity levels for the day and they are more focused and ready to learn compared to those who are driven.

“We need the Surf Coast Shire and VicRoads to acknowledge this need and to take action – before it’s too late!”

The petition does not include the physical address of each person who signed it – a breach of the shire’s rules on petitions – but the council resolved to accept it anyway despite the opposition of Cr Paul Barker, who voted against it.

Cr Barker noted that of the 424 signatures, 111 were from Torquay residents and “several others” were from within the shire.

“While I can appreciate the desires promoted through the petition, I’m not comfortable receiving this petition outside the standard parameters outlined in our Governance Rules.

“If a petition that meets the standard requirements of our Governance Rules is provided to council, I’d be happy to receive that petition.”

The council will receive a report on the petition at its June 24 meeting.