The need for safe and accessible parking near educational institutions is essential for the wellbeing of students, parents and staff. At present, parking outside Kyneton Primary School is limited to five minutes, which is often insufficient during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. Five minutes does not provide enough time to park, walk younger children to class, and return safely to the vehicle. There is also no parking permitted within the kindergarten area, placing additional pressure on surrounding streets.

Kyneton is a growing community, with more families choosing to live locally. As enrolments increase, so does traffic volume around Kyneton Primary School during peak times. The current parking restrictions do not adequately accommodate this demand. As a result, parents are forced to rush, circle the block repeatedly, park alongway from the pickup gates or risk parking outside designated areas. This contributes to congestion and creates avoidable safety risks for children.

Extending the parking limit from five minutes to ten minutes would provide a practical and proportionate solution. A ten-minute limit would still discourage long-term parking while allowing sufficient time for safe drop-off and pick-up, particularly for families with younger children. Improved turnover combined with realistic time allowances would reduce stress, minimise unsafe behaviour and support smoother traffic flow.

We ask Macedon Ranges Shire Council to review and amend the current five-minute parking restriction outside Kyneton Primary School to a ten-minute limit. This small and practical change will improve safety, reduce congestion and better support families during peak school times.

If you support safer and more accessible parking around our school, please sign this petition and share it with other members of the Kyneton community. Your support will help demonstrate the need for sensible change.