A parking assessment at Mernda and St Joseph’s primary schools suggests parents are being lazy by wanting parking “right outside the school gates”.
The assessment was the result of a petition from more than 200 parents tabled at a Whittlesea council meeting in July.
The parents complained about the lack of parking in peak times, school staff parking on the street, a lack of safe walkways, and the need for the council to build a “kiss-and-drop” zone, extra parking on council-owned land and a drop-off zone for Mernda Village Drive.
A council traffic engineering report tabled last week found that traffic volumes were acceptable for the local streets and collector roads.
It also found that traffic conditions were generally acceptable but for two notable exceptions.
It found that about 55 per cent of drivers using Mernda Village Drive exceeded the 40km/h school speed limit and 85 per cent of drivers went above the 40km/h limit in Foundry Street.
Whittlesea council has since asked Victoria Police to target speeding drivers in these streets.
According to the report, all footpaths are only five years old and in good condition. There’s a bicycle lane in Mernda Village Drive and storage for 100 bikes at Mernda Primary School and 20 bikes at St Josephs.
The council also plans to install a signalised crossing in Bridge Inn Road, just west of Mernda Village Drive.
The report did note that there was insufficient staff parking at Mernda Primary School, with just 34 spaces for 65 staff.
The council report said that, on average, “the number of parking spaces unoccupied in the before and after school periods are 137 spaces and 78 spaces for Everton Drive and Bent Street, respectively . . . the location of vacant spaces may not be to parents’ preference right outside the gate”.
“Parking is within a one-minute walk.”
Whittlesea councillor Sam Alessi labelled the finding “a great tragedy” and said parents were being lazy.
“I know these schools participate in programs around walking to schools, but it’s a great tragedy that parents not only want to drive their children to school but have to park near the front gate,” he said. “Firstly, it creates congestion, but it’s also very dangerous.”
The council has said it will trial a “drop-off” zone in Erskine Road, provide a disabled car park in Everton Drive and encourage parents to park in surrounding streets or walk or cycle with their children to school.
