Our aim is to gain community support by raising awareness to help employ a crossing supervisor on Catterick Crescent Traralgon. 

We urge Latrobe City Council to fund the manning of Catterick Cres effective immediately for the duration of Term 4 2020 and include the crossing in the Vic Roads subsidy scheme application commencing in 2021.

There has been an increase of pedestrian use of the crossing due to the relocation of the junior units buildings at Kosciuszko St Primary School and the construction of a car park by Latrobe City on Catterick Cres. The current COVID-19 restrictions  exclude parents from meeting their children within the school ground also increases the traffic on Catterick Crescent. Currently we have children as young as five crossing at the unmanned crossing without direct supervision. There are weekly near misses and it is only a matter of time before an incident occurs.

The Team Leader of Local Laws at Latrobe City Council, has to advised parents to park on Kosciuszko Street, therefore encouraging the students to access the manned crossing which would only increase congestion in the area. Kosciuszko Street is a main thoroughfare during student drop off and pick up times. School buses use this road, traffic for a preschool, two schools with high numbers of inexperienced drivers and learning drivers are already problematic. Parking is limited and heavily contested due to Lavalla staff and students parking on Kosciuszko Street along with parents while they attend the college. The advice from the Team Leader, actually creates greater traffic flow concerns for the area.

Waiting for 2021 and Vic Roads subsidy does nothing to fulfil the responsibility LCC has to protect the children while walking to and from school while their parents park safely in the LCC built car park. As per Vic Roads position statement, LCC can opt to independently fund a crossing supervisor at any stage and we urge this to be actioned immediately. 

Thank you for your time in reading this and your support in this matter.