The ever-worsening traffic congestion around Empire Bay Public School costs everyone time, causes unnecessary angst and prompts frustrated drivers to make dangerous and potentially fatal decisions.

Some of this congestion would be greatly eased by extending the already implemented “Kiss & Drop” zone for west-bound traffic all the way back to the eastern school boundary (area in green on map). This loss of parking is negligible when compared to the hundreds of vehicles that use it.

The (RMS) Roads & Maritime Services NSW are in charge of all street signage and designation of zones - not the Council. The Central Coast Council are responsible for local road safety and should lobby the RMS for change.

This is a wider community issue - not just a school issue - so hopefully you can  take a few seconds to sign and share this petition, so Central Coast Council and the Roads & Maritime Services NSW understand that it requires IMMEDIATE ACTION! Please don't just read it - sign it - it could just save a life.

I’m a parent with a child at Empire Bay School and running the gauntlet of daily traffic chaos is always stressful. Frustrated drivers make risky and often unlawful driving decisions to get through the chaos but my question is this :: Is it going to take a serious accident or possibly a fatality to force the Central Coast Council and the Roads & Maritime Service to make constructive changes to remedy the issues? 

Covid-19 has added additional pressure because the Health Department advice is to drive your children to and from school instead of making them catch the school bus. Families should not be forced to take additional and unnecessary risks by using public transport until the risks of Covid-19 are under control.

West-Bound (towards Ettalong)

The school tells parents to stop before the school on the larger shoulder (peoples driveways) if the “Kiss & Drop” bay is full. Alternatively, we are told to do a “loop-around” if the bay is full and we can’t pull in. Many comply with these requests but for those who wait - it is not clear which cars in front will want to pull in and for those who do the arduous “go around”, they are more-often-than-not faced with exactly the same situation. There simply isn’t enough car spaces allocated to the “Kiss & Drop” zone to prevent cars having to wait in the traffic flow in order to pull in.

Consequently, drivers get very frustrated waiting for ages - often taking their rage out directly on parents (and teachers) who are just trying to work an “unworkable” system to pick their children up safely. Even a Central Coast Council officer parked his car illegally to go back to a car and abuse the frightened parent - crazy stuff from those who should know better.

Every day, car after car choose to cross double lines and drive into on-coming traffic to drive around the grid-locked traffic. And once cars are free to move - they often accelerate heavily and speed through the 40m/h school zone because they have been delayed so long. Without doubt, this is a recipe for disaster in so many ways. 

West-bound congestion would be improved by extending the already implemented “Kiss & Drop” zone all the way back to the eastern school boundary (see map). Sounds simple right - guess again - all decisions are tied up in Government bureaucracy and a culture of inaction (until it’s too late). The school, the P&C and parents (including myself) have appealed directly to the Central Coast Council and the Roads & Maritime Service only to be told they have the situation in hand but still NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. The Roads & Maritime Service seem to ignore any requests, thinking they know better, even despite the Council doing traffic assessments and advising them of the need to take action.

I implore the Council to exert more pressure on the RMS, and for the RMS to take some decisive and immediate action - especially considering the added pressures of Covid-19.

East-Bound (towards Kincumber)

I’m no traffic control expert but surely the the west-bound congestion has impacts on the traffic-flow east. I don’t have any other ideas to make improvements here other than for everyone to be courteous by not pulling out carelessly and to let people out into traffic so their parking spot is freed up. RMS need to get creative and come up with something, and it must be considered in it’s entirety, rather than only addressing one aspect. 

PARENTS & ALL OTHER DRIVERS - PLEASE REMEMBER - have some patience and 40km/h means keep it to 40km/h for the ENTIRE SCHOOL ZONE (it does not end just because you’ve made it through the lights!). 

OUR KID’S SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU ALL DOING THE RIGHT THING.

FYI: For school parents who drop their kids in the (temporary) bus-zones DON’T. If you get caught you'll cop a $325 fine and lose 2 points - even if you only briefly stop. The RMS continue to refuse to re-designate these temporary bus zones as “dual use” despite there being only 7 bus services over the entire day or the relief it would present to the current traffic congestion.