Residents at wits’ end after complaints over schools zones ‘ignored’

An investigation into Brisbane school zones has prompted a flood of reader responses, with claims authorities are ‘ignoring’ concerns. JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Residents at their wits’ end have called on immediate intervention into school zone safety, with claims their repeated complaints to authorities are falling on deaf ears.

A recent Courier-Mail investigation revealed the extent of school zone road rage, near-misses and traffic congestion in Brisbane, with readers sharing their frustrations at a lack of action.

Mansfield resident Narelle Hatch said she sees road signs ignored each day near the local primary and high schools, causing “chaos”.

“The parents of school children seem to think they have the right to ignore all No Standing signs because they are just collecting their children and are there for only a short time,” she said.

“The Brisbane City Council has been contacted on numerous occasions regarding illegal parking but there is little response, and congestion and illegal activities continue every school day.”

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Traffic at pick-up time at Macgregor State School on Brisbane’s southside. PicTURE: Mark Cranitch.

Meanwhile a Rochedale resident said he had been bounced around various stakeholders while attempting to get his concerns addressed, and was left feeling like “council and state government don’t care”.

The resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said a standard five minute drive can take up to an hour on school days.

“I have voiced my grievances with the schools to have only been met with “yes, we know but there is nothing we can do about it”,” he said.

“I have complained to the local council, which has fallen on deaf ears”.

One school’s response, seen by The Courier-Mail, said a number of parents had been in touch with safety concerns and suggested to contact police.

QUT road safety researcher Dr Oscar Oviedo-Trespalacios said a "driver-centric” culture was one of the reasons school traffic congestion had become a major issue.

He said car-free zones around schools and reduced speed limits would encourage more parents to allow their kids to walk or ride to school.

“Trying to fix the school zones is not the answer, we need to fix the culture,” he said.

A spokeswoman for Education Queensland said road safety around schools “is a joint responsibility between road users, schools, police, the Department of Transport and Main Roads and local government authorities”.

A BCC spokeswoman also said school zones were a “joint responsibility”.