METRES FROM HOONS, BUT STATE SLOW TO HELP
Parents demand action as hoons go unchecked
STUDENTS at a tiny Gold Coast school are dicing with death twice a day because the State Government won’t put in deterrents to slow down hoons.
For more than a decade, parents at Numinbah Valley State School have begged for flashing lights and warning signs on the 80km/h Nerang Murwillumbah Road to keep children safe.
“Our children are just as important as anyone else’s,” one parent said. “We want something done as it’s incredibly dangerous and we should be afforded the same rights and safety as every other school.”
After questions from the Bulletin, the State Government last night said an advisor would be in contact with the school.
PARENTS at the tiny Numinbah Valley State School have been begging for more than a decade for road markings, flashing lights and warning signs, fearing a pupil will be hit and killed by hooning cars on busy Nerang Murwillumbah Road.
The school community says it is “only a matter of time” before a tragic incident caused by drivers who race “recklessly and dangerously” past, unaware there is even a school with 17 students beside the 80km/h zoned road because of a blind corner.
Concerned mother Jess Slingsby started an online petition for flashing lights and signs at the school to protect her son, prep student Hamish, 4, and his school mates. As of 5pm yesterday there were 560 signatures on the change.org petition.
“Our children are just as important as anyone else’s,” Ms Slingsby said.
“We just want something to be done as it’s incredibly dangerous and we should be afforded the same rights and safety as every other school.”
P&C president Aimee Hennephof has been abused by drivers after asking them to slow down.
“Cars can still fly around the blind corner catching us as we turn. It’s only a matter of time before someone is hurt or killed.’’
School Principal Warren Greinke has witnessed many examples of excessive speed in front of the school.
“Parents anecdotally have attempted on occasions to signal speeding motorists during afternoon pick-up or morning drop-off and this has resulted in unpleasant confrontations.”
A Transport and Main Roads spokesman said while Numinbah State School was not prioritised to receive flashing school zones as part of the 2017-18 schedule, the school zone would be reconsidered in future rounds based on the recent concerns.
He said a TMR Road Safety Advisor for the region would contact the school at the start of the new term, in April, to discuss additional safety improvements around the school.
State Member for Mudgeeraba Ros Bates said the reason the school had waited so long was because the government did not see it as a priority.
Ms Bates said it would cost about $30,000 to install flashing lights to warn drivers.
“Numinbah is the last school in my electorate that needs flashing lights in front of the school,” she said.
“There have been 14 (road) fatalities in the electorate in the last few months alone.
“You regularly see drivers doing 140km/h along that road past the school.”
A Department of Education spokeswoman said road safety was regularly highlighted to students, parents and the wider community and the department would continue to work with local authorities to address the issue.
Councillor Glenn Tozer said the government should act “swiftly” to make roads safer, but declined to comment on whether he would consider allocating divisional funds.