Delays, red tape frustrate parents begging for school crossing

Mel Sharples began pushing for a pedestrian crossing at Loch Primary School when her eldest son, Marley, was in prep.

Seven years later, Marley's graduated to high school and a new batch of preps have arrived, and yet, she's still pushing.

"For years the school has pleaded for safety upgrades, flashing 40 kilometre zone (signs), and a proper crossing," she said.

It's a long-held bugbear for the school and its parents.

As it stands, there is no safe way to cross the road near the Gippsland primary school, 90 minutes south-east of Melbourne.

There's no parking at the school, so some parents stop on the side of the road to watch their kids into the classroom.

Others stop at a gravel spot near a church down the road, which was recently sold to developers to be turned into accommodation.

The local council has plans to build a pedestrian crossing at the school by the middle of next year, but some parents fear that's not enough — and could come too late.

Last month, a nine-year-old child was hit by a car which stopped on his foot after he attempted to cross the road.

"He simply was trying to get to the school, just to cross the road. That's all he was trying to do," Ms Sharples said.

The boy was taken to hospital but escaped serious injury.

And parents at the school say after years of lobbying and delays, the school needs more than just the crossing.

A frustrating fight

The slow moving wheels of bureaucracy remain a point of contention for some parents in the area, with many feeling their lodged concerns have been handballed between state government and local government departments for years.

Emails seen by the ABC show Loch Primary School staff and parents alerted the Department of Education and the South Gippsland Shire to their safety concerns as far back as 2020.

There is minimal parking available near the school, and no flashing signs to indicate a reduction in speeds during school times.

A spokesperson for Loch Primary School said the school has advocated for safety upgrades since 2018.

"We have been told we will not receive flashing lights due to budget restraints," the spokesperson said. "There is also insufficient parking for staff and parents.

"This poses a further safety risk. School children cross the road to get to their parents. There are no designated parking bays."

It's understood council submitted a request to VicRoads for a flashing 40km/h speed sign in 2020.

None were installed.

Jess Bell, a mother of two children at the primary school, said parents just want a way to drop their kids off safely.

"That is the beginning, middle, and end of what we're after," she said.

"A safe crossing, and plenty of places to park safely."

The state government is set to fund road safety upgrades throughout Loch broadly, something she generally commends.

"It's just frustrating when the buck's being passed from one department to the next and no one's actually stepping up saying, I will coordinate what needs to happen to solve this problem."

Alanna Crew, another parent at the school, remains frustrated by the delays.

"The frustrating part is they've known about this for eight years," she said.

Need a commitment

Parents met with councillors and South Gippsland Shire Council staff at a public meeting on Wednesday, June 3, to vent frustrations.

Ms Sharples said while the school crossing would assist, parents still needed a place to park their cars during drop-off and pick-up times.

"I want to know if we can get a commitment from council that we revise project plans to engineer and include necessary car parks," Ms Sharples said.

A spokesperson for South Gippsland Shire council said community feedback on proposed safety plans will be considered, "including whether there are any immediate treatments that could be suitable".

The Department of Transport confirmed the road is managed by council and would not comment further.