Petition for crossing at Trinity College, Angle Vale gathers 600 signatures

Parents say a crossing is desperately needed outside an Angle Vale school … with 600 signing a petition to call for one. Picture: Noelle Bobrige
Source: News Limited

ALMOST 600 people have signed a petition calling for a crossing outside an Angle Vale school, saying near misses between cars and students are an almost weekly occurrence.

The petitioners want a crossing on Heaslip Rd, outside Trinity College.

The desperate call comes just days after parents and staff at Seacliff Primary School in Adelaide’s south implored the State Government to install a red light and speed camera at a pedestrian crossing used by hundreds of its students each week.

Seacliff principal Greg Miller said cars and trucks regularly ran red lights at the Brighton Rd pedestrian crossing at the bottom of Cement Hill, putting lives at risk.

In the latest campaign in the north, parent Robert Brookes, who first contacted the council about the issue in May last year, said parents did not want to have to wait for a child to be injured before a crossing was installed.

“We’ve seen too many near misses and we want them to do something about it,” Mr Brookes said.

“There have been near misses reported to the police and to the council many times and speeding drivers, drivers abusing children crossing the road and honking horns.

“We’re not seeking to jump the queue, we just want a date when they will do the work.”

Mr Brookes, who has three children at the school, said council staff had told him there were not enough students crossing Heaslip Rd to warrant a crossing.

Two pedestrian refuge islands were built on the road last year, but motorists are not required to give way to pedestrians waiting to cross.

School principal Nick Hately said the reception to year 10 school, which has about 670 students, wanted a crossing installed.

“We think as housing in the area increases, it’s probably more important that there is one of these crossings put in,” he said.

Drivers are required to slow to 25km/h near the school gates when children are present, but the speed limit is 100km/h less than 300m north of the school. The limit drops to 60km/h near the school boundary.

Councillors voted last week to receive the petition, which included 594 signatures, and await a report from council staff.

Playford councillor Peter Rentoulis, who submitted the petition on behalf of the parents, said the surrounding housing estates were growing rapidly, increasing the need for the crossing.

“There’s a lot of heavy traffic and trucks that go through that section of road and it’s only a matter of time before an accident occurs,” Cr Rentoulis said.

Mayor Glenn Docherty said council staff would look at the number of pedestrians who crossed Heaslip Rd near the school.

“In the event that an additional crossing is recommended for installation, costs and

timing will be determined as required, and are then subject to council approval,” he said.

“The City of Playford already undertook extensive investigations into the traffic situation in the area in 2013, which led to the installation of multiple pedestrian

refuges and an extensive school zone.”

Mr Docherty said the council had already arranged for an extension of the 60km/h zone near the school, which was due to be enacted before the end of April.

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Petition for crossing at Trinity College, Angle Vale gathers 600 signatures