Children refuse to walk, ride or bus to school so Adelaide traffic will jam up

COMMUTERS should hit the road early or face delays of up to 20 minutes from tomorrow morning as school holidays end, Transport Department figures show. SEE HOW YOUR TRAVEL WILL CHANGE ON MONDAY.

COMMUTERS should hit the road early or face delays of up to 20 minutes from tomorrow morning as school holidays end, Transport Department figures show.

Transport Minister Stephen Mullighan has told the department to make easing the school-term traffic jam a priority as part of its Operation Moving Traffic and make it easier for parents and children to walk, ride or catch public transport to school.

“By encouraging more parents and students to find other ways of getting to school, such as walking, cycling and taking public transport, we cannot only help to reduce congestion but also to improve safety around schools by reducing vehicle traffic,’’ he said.

“More children are driven to school than ever before — about 80 per cent of students at our public primary schools are driven despite the fact that 80 per cent live within two kilometres of the school.

“For high schools, it’s up to 90 per cent.”

Mr Mullighan’s comments came as the Transport Department released figures showing traffic times will increase dramatically on many routes from Monday.

Motorists travelling on Portrush Rd, based on traffic surveys conducted last January, will likely face the longest delays with travel times increasing on average six to nine minutes and up to 20 minutes in a worst-case scenario.

The Transport Department recorded cars starting at 8.30am driving south on Portrush Rd between Payneham Rd and Glen Osmond Rd taking between nine and 19 minutes to complete the 10km trip during school holidays.

But travel time increased on average to 15 to 28 minutes on the first day of school — meaning delays of up to 20 minutes.

Mr Mullighan said on average, travel times increased by 25 per cent after 8.30am during school terms compared to school holidays but on some routes they more than doubled.

Mr Mullighan said the department has tried to ease the return-to-work/school squeeze by:

■ TIMED traffic lights on Grote and Wakefield streets to cut travel times by four minutes.

■ LONGER clearway times on Greenhill Road to cut one minute from trip times.

■ ONGOING removal of right turns from busy intersections to give an extra lane for through traffic and increase green light duration for priority routes.

■ ONGOING placement of travel time signs at 64 locations including Fullarton and Springbank roads.

Mr Mullighan acknowledged that people without children, or with those who made their own way to school also added to the extra traffic burden at the end of January.

He said there are now 1,764,396 registered vehicles in South Australia, a 35 per cent increase from 2000 when there were 1,302,360.

HOW YOUR TRAVEL WILL CHANGE ON MONDAY

Portrush Rd (south from Payneham Rd to Glen Osmond Rd)

School holidays: 9-19 mins

School term: 15-28 mins

Difference: up to 20 mins

Portrush Rd (north from Glen Osmond Road to Payneham Rd)

School holidays: 9-19 mins

School term: 14-25 mins

Difference: Up to 16 mins

Brigthon Rd (Arthur St to ANZAC Hwy)

School holidays: 8-15 mins

School term: 10-20 mins

Difference: Up to 12 mins

Sir Donald Bradman Dve (Airport Rd to Catholic Cemetery Rd)

School holidays: 5-10 mins

School term: 7-13 mins

Difference: up to 8 mins

North East Rd (Grand Junction Rd to Nottage Tce)

School holidays: 9-15 mins

School term: 10-17 mins

Difference: up to 8 mins

Main North Rd (Gepps Cross to Robe Tce)

School holidays: 8-14 mins

School term: 9-16 mins

Difference: up to 8 mins

Source: Transport Department

*Based on traffic measured in January 2017 leaving at 8.30am