A group of concerned residents is lobbying for a 40km/h school zone along Blaxland Crescent, Wentworth Falls, to make a safer route for the Kindlehill students walking from the railway station.
Council recently trimmed roadside vegetation on Sinclair Crescent to improve sight lines but the RMS has refused to make the area a school zone, saying it is too far from Kindlehill, which is on Lake Street, one street further along.
One parent, Mark Carroll, said the Mountains Concerned Citizens had been battling for two years to get something done about both the intersection and the footpath on the bridge over the railway line.
Mr Carroll said when the RMS said the area was too far from the school, he measured the distances in the school zones at Wentworth Falls Public and Blackheath Public, and both were further away than Kindlehill.
“We’re going to pursue it. We’re considering a ministerial approach,” he said.
Mr Carroll said the intersection and the bridge could be dangerous for children, the elderly and those with walkers or prams. His own daughter narrowly avoided serious injury when she tripped on the footpath on the bridge and almost fell in front of a car.
Cr Romola Hollywood has lent her support to the group, recognising the potential for an accident. But she said the intersection needed to be included in council’s Pedestrian and Mobility Plan, recently released.
The draft plan ranks various pedestrian routes, footpaths, crossing and bus stops as high, medium or low priority, based on a comprehensive audit recently undertaken.
The Blaxland Road route was not included in the draft but Cr Hollywood said: “Council will look at making the Blaxland Rd route in Wentworth Falls a priority so we can consider pedestrian access and safety sooner rather than later.”
“We’re happy to do that so we’re encouraging the community to make submissions to the plan.”
Cr Hollywood said she and her fellow Ward 2 councillors were also preparing a notice of motion to take to the next meeting, calling on the RMS to reconsider its decision to reject a school zone.
She urged community members to go to the public consultation sessions devoted to the pedestrian plan.
The three community workshops will be held from 6.30-8.30pm: on Tuesday, December 8 at the Hub in Springwood, on Wednesday, December 9 at Hazelbrook Bowling Club and on Thursday, December 10 at Katoomba Community Hall. Register at www.bluemountainshaveyoursay.com.au/pamp or contact Dimity Carr on 4780 5602 or email dcarr@bmcc.nsw.gov.au.
