Melton City Council has urged the State Government to take action to secure the safety of children at 71 school crossings across the municipality.
City of Melton Mayor Cr Lara Carli said the school crossing supervisor program across the state was no longer fit for purpose and an urgent review of the system is needed.
There are over 40 schools in the City of Melton and over 70 school crossings that assist students, parents, carers and the general public in crossing safely during busy school times.
Melton City Council’s call comes as a new survey of 24 councils across the state shows that the program – deemed essential for the safety of Victorian schoolchildren – is under intense pressure.
The survey found that:
- 97 per cent of councils have unsupervised crossing sessions
- 82 per cent regularly face crossing supervisor staff shortages, and
- 87 per cent consider the system no longer fit for purpose
“Children are some of our most vulnerable road users and it’s imperative we get the best school crossing supervisor program possible to ensure that the schoolchildren of Victoria are safe,” Cr Carli said.
As a major growth area with more schools to be delivered, it is anticipated there will be a significant increase in the number of school crossings requiring supervisors over the next 30 years. A continued trend in decreased State funding for the school crossing service will further increase the cost to Council to provide this service.
“With more than 70 school crossings in the City of Melton and that number expected to grow steadily over the coming years, we will obviously need more supervisors, but we are already experiencing staff shortages.
“That is why we are calling on the State Government to fulfil its responsibilities to our school children by doing a thorough review of the current system, working closely with us to deliver a solution and funding the cost of the school crossing supervisor program in the City of Melton.
“Only a thorough government review will properly identify all the issues and, where necessary, provide the practical on-the-ground 21st century solutions the system needs.
“In 2016 the State Government made a commitment to the community to undertake a broad strategic review into the movement and safety of school students. Now is the time for that review to finally happen,” Cr Carli said.
