Bellbrae Shire School council asks Surf Coast Shire to reconsider trial parking change

Parents from a Surf Coast primary school have taken issue with how a small piece of land is being handled in a parking overhaul.

Bellbrae School Parking bays. Shauna Burford with daughter Rosie, 12, a former student. The angle parks will be changed to parallel parks. Picture: Mike Dugdale

Bellbrae Primary School council is asking the Surf Coast Shire to reconsider a trial safety change centring on a small piece of land that it feels it was not consulted on.

Surf Coast Shire is trialling new parking restrictions along School Rd in Bellbrae, in response to community and resident concerns about safety at school pick-up and drop-off.

These changes included no parking on the east side of the road, new two minute pick-up and drop-off zones, and on-street parking areas clearly marked out.

A Bellbrae Primary School council spokeswoman said that while the school did approve three of the changes, the group felt it was not properly consulted on another.

She said the school felt there was not adequate consultation around no-standing zone signs being erected on an island of land where people had previously parked.

Bellbrae School Parking bays. Shauna Burford with daughter Rosie, 12, a former student and grade 1 students Charlie, 8, and Beau, 6. Picture: Mike Dugdale

The spokeswoman said the island was an “area of concern, with a resident wanting it to be transformed into a plant/treescape with bollards erected to prevent cars from parking”.

“As a school, we understand the resident’s desire, and we also understand that it is not a formalised carpark, however, with some imagination we believe that this space has the potential to be transformed into something that both the school community and residents could enjoy,” she said.

“We are not certain how the wider school community and other Bellbrae residents feel about this space, as there has been no community consultation.

“Perhaps further consultation should take place before any changes are made.

Bellbrae School Parking bays. Parking has been changed to no parking. Picture: Mike Dugdale

“We believe that parking and beautification of the island are not mutually exclusive.”

Surf Coast Shire general manager of place making and environment Jane Spence said council officers had been “meeting the community regularly about the parking issues along

School Rd”.

“Bellbrae Primary School have a number of representatives on the working group

and have been consulted about the trial parking changes, including the changes to parking

around the island,” Ms Spence said.

“The changes that have been made to School Rd Bellbrae and the island, are temporary and part of a trial for terms three and four.

“These changes will be evaluated at the end of term four.”

Originally published as Bellbrae Shire School council asks Surf Coast Shire to reconsider trial parking change