The Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, has praised a “community victory’ in achieving a long overdue crossing for Twin Rivers Primary School.
Mr Walsh joined the school council and parents and Campaspe Shire – all supported by the Riverine Herald – to campaign for a “proper and safe” school crossing on Wilkinson Drive, outside the school’s main entrance.
He says on Wednesday, word was received VicRoads would be installing a much safer system to operate during school hours.
“Last week all the school had was an exposed refuge in the middle of the street and nothing else – now let’s see this government deliver on its agreement to fix the problem at this school, and others in the region, before anything serious happens,” Mr Walsh says.
“With hundreds of schoolchildren using the crossing at least twice a day, and probably almost as many cars there at peak times – and even with 40km/h speed limits – I believe it would only be a matter of time before there was an avoidable disaster,” he says.
“I congratulate the school council and the school itself for the strong but dignified manner it went about this challenge, and I was delighted to be able to lend my support on location and in the Victorian Parliament.
“Once made aware of the oversight I found it hard to believe a multi-campus school such as Twin Rivers could be built in this safety-conscious age without a safe way to cross the street each morning and afternoon.”
Campaspe Shire has announced it has now successfully secured funding for the new supervised crossing site, which will be on Wilkinson Drive near Lavender St.
The shire says “this is fantastic news for the families of Twin Rivers Primary and Twin Rivers Specialist School”.
In a statement it also advised: “With funding through the Department of Transport, all existing supervised school crossings across the shire have also been funded for the 2022/23 financial year”.
Mr Walsh says the school council has also told him its next campaign will be to get a similar crossing for Coliban St.
“I will be going to check that out as well and will be more than happy to once again assist the school community secure these most essential services.”