We have seen multiple close calls. We've heard screeching tyres. And we've all been honked by motorists as we try to navigate the traffic coming from all directions.

It's time to make the intersections of Bundock/Avoca Street and Sturt/Avoca Street safer for school students and other pedestrians to cross.



These streets experienced a dramatic increase in traffic in June, 2017 after the NSW Government removed the Nine Ways roundabout at Kingsford for the Light Rail.

This increase in traffic was confirmed by a vehicle count by Randwick Council in August, 2017 and was the subject of an article in the Southern Courier.

But five years on, there is no pedestrian crossing or traffic signals at these intersections. There's not even a pedestrian refuge on either street. 

It is frustrating as these intersections are close to three local schools and are also crossed by students who attend five other schools in the area. Parents who want their children to walk or cycle to school - an option which is in line with the NSW Government's Get NSW Active policy - tell us they will not allow their children to cross these roads as they are too dangerous. Instead, parents are driving their children to school, or children are catching a bus that may take them longer than walking to get to school.

These intersections are also dangerous for the elderly and parents with children in prams. Cyclists and drivers also find these intersections dangerous. It is particularly frightening before and after school hours.

There is a long-standing proposal to install signalised crossings at these intersections as part of the Bundock Street cycleway construction. These would provide a safe way for children to cross both Bundock and Sturt streets, and greatly improve traffic conditions for cyclists and drivers.

But we have been told that signals are an expensive option, costing more than $1 million each. We have been told it would take at least three years for the NSW Government to budget and plan for these traffic signals. We have been told that at the earliest, it would be at least 2026 before we could expect to see pedestrian signals installed at these intersections.

There's no planned date for this installation.

Our school children and other pedestrians should not have to wait at least another three years to be able to safely cross two busy intersections.

There is an interim quick fix. Randwick Council could install pedestrian islands at both of these intersections in a few days. These would provide a refuge for pedestrians in the middle of the road, instead of being forced to weave between two way traffic when crossing these roads at these intersections.

And the NSW Government could provide a date on when this issue will be properly solved with traffic signals.

Help Safe Streets to Schools - Randwick get this issue on the urgent agenda of Randwick Council and the NSW government in the lead up to the state election in March.

Please sign below.