Community Update – Woy Woy South Footpaths

Thank you to every parent, carer, neighbour and supporter who has signed this petition. Your voices reflect something simple and powerful: our children deserve safe, walkable access to their school, and our community deserves leaders who listen and act.

At the recent Council meeting, the motion calling for footpath planning and safety improvements around Woy Woy South Public School was voted down. This decision has left our community frustrated and disappointed. We asked for a plan. We asked for action. Instead, Council chose not to support even the first step toward addressing the safety issues families face every day.

What makes this decision even more concerning is that funding is available right now. The Australian Government’s Active Transport Fund has $50 million dedicated to projects that improve pedestrian and cyclist safety — exactly the kind of work needed around Woy Woy South. Councils can apply for multiple projects, and applications are assessed on merit. There is no barrier preventing Council from seeking funding for our school. The only requirement is that Council must choose to apply.

Yet despite this opportunity, and despite the fact that there is no footpath plan for local schools, no safety‑based prioritisation process, and no transparent framework for deciding which school communities receive upgrades, our community is still being told to “wait its turn” — even though no actual system exists to determine whose turn it is.

Our expectations are reasonable. We expect the people in power to listen when families say they do not feel safe walking to school. We expect decision‑makers to act when a community raises legitimate concerns. And we expect Council to pursue available funding when it can directly improve safety for children and families.

The Woy Woy South community is not asking for special treatment. We are asking for basic safety, delivered through a clear, accountable process — and supported by funding that is already on the table.

Please keep sharing this petition. The stronger our collective voice, the harder it becomes for those in power to ignore the safety of our children and families.