Improving Safety Around Warracknabeal Schools & Early Years Precinct

Improving Safety Around Warracknabeal Schools & Early Years Precinct

Council Endorses Campbell Street One-Way Traffic Change to Improve Safety in Warracknabeal Education Precinct

Yarriambiack Shire Council has endorsed the recommendation to introduce a one-way traffic arrangement on Campbell Street between King Street and Lyle Street, Warracknabeal, following completion of an extensive community consultation process and consideration of community feedback.

The endorsed change is intended to significantly improve safety for students, families, pedestrians and motorists within the Warracknabeal Education Precinct.

Mayor Andrew McLean said the decision demonstrates Council's strong commitment to protecting the safety of children, families and all road users in one of the busiest areas of Warracknabeal.

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The safety of our children and families must always come first, and this decision is about creating a safer environment for everyone who uses the education precinct

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Every school day, hundreds of students, parents, carers, staff, buses and vehicles move through this area. Council has listened carefully to the concerns raised by our school communities about traffic congestion and pedestrian safety, and we are taking action to reduce the risks that currently exist.

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The Warracknabeal Education Precinct includes Warracknabeal Primary School, Warracknabeal Secondary College, Warracknabeal Special Developmental School, Warracknabeal Early Years Centre and St Mary's Primary School. The change has been developed in response to ongoing concerns regarding traffic congestion, pedestrian movements and conflicts between buses, vehicles and pedestrians during peak school drop-off and pick-up times.

Cr McLean said the endorsed one-way arrangement forms part of a broader strategy to improve road safety and accessibility throughout the precinct.

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This is fundamentally a community safety initiative. We want parents to feel confident when dropping off their children, students to be able to move safely throughout the precinct, and pedestrians to have safer pathways and crossing points.

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By reducing traffic conflicts and improving traffic flow, we can create a more predictable and safer environment for everyone, particularly our youngest and most vulnerable road users.

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Council has secured more than $1 million through the Victorian Government's Safe Local Roads and Streets Program to deliver a range of complementary safety improvements across the precinct, including raised pedestrian crossings, traffic-calming measures, improved street lighting, connecting footpaths and enhanced signage. The Campbell Street traffic change will support and complement these investments.

The one-way traffic arrangement is expected to:

Improve safety for pedestrians, students, families and motorists.

Improve traffic flow during peak school periods.

Reduce conflicts between buses, vehicles and pedestrians.

Create opportunities to widen and improve the existing footpath on Campbell Street.

Support future funding applications for additional safety improvements within the education precinct.

Cr McLean said the project is an important investment in the future of the Warracknabeal community.

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Council's goal is simple: we want every child to arrive at school safely and return home safely at the end of the day.

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The introduction of a one-way traffic arrangement, together with the significant infrastructure improvements already funded, will help create a safer, more accessible and family-friendly education precinct for current and future generations.

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This decision reflects Council's commitment to putting community safety first and ensuring our road network supports the needs of our growing education precinct.

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Council will now proceed with implementing the approved traffic changes and associated works as part of the broader precinct safety improvement program.

END OF RELEASE

Cr Andrew McLean

Mayor

Yarriambiack Shire Council

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