Brisbane’s worst suburbs for school zone speeding revealed

POLICE have issued more school zone speeding tickets in this Brisbane suburb than anywhere else on the southside, according to Transport and Main Roads data.

Upper Mount Gravatt School’s contribute to nearly half of all southside school zone speeding. Picture: Renae Droop

Top six police districts for school zone speedsters

1. Upper Mount Gravatt 2640

2. Wynnum 697

3. Sherwood 649

4. Mount Ommaney 372

5. Calamvale 291

6, Capalaba 199

POLICE issued more school zone speeding tickets in the Mt Gravatt area than anywhere else on the southside, according to Transport and Main Roads statistics.

Upper Mount Gravatt police station officer-in-charge Steve Hollands said of 5392 fines issued across the south, west and eastern police districts, more than half came from the Upper Mt Gravatt district.

“I’m actually quite surprised by the proportion of our tickets, but that just reinforces to me that we are targeting the right areas,” Senior-Sergeant Hollands said.

“We will always target identified speeding zones, especially ones where our most vulnerable people are, and especially children.”

In the 16 months between January, 2015, and April, 2016, 2640 fines were issued at schools in the Upper Mount Gravatt district.

That number was nearly four times higher than the second-ranked police division, Wynnum (697).

Sen-Sgt Hollands said school zones along busy Logan Rd contributed to the high number of infringements.

He said policing was sufficient but more needed to be done to educate drivers about speeding risks.

A Transport and Main Roads spokeswoman said slowing down in school zones saved lives.

“Motorists need to remember children can be unpredictable when crossing streets,” she said.

“Children should feel safe travelling to and from school and we need to ensure that happens by slowing down.”

Brisbane City Councillor Steven Huang (Macgregor) urged people who witnessed school zone speeding to phone police.

Brisbane City Council infrastructure chairwoman Amanda Cooper said council had improved road safety along Logan Rd.

“Council pays particular attention to improving safety around schools which includes installing flashing school zone signage and pavement markings,” Cr Cooper said.

Sunnybank resident Tempe Laver has expressed concerns about motorists speeding through school zones around Sunnybank State School.

“Lister St is terrible for speeding drivers and it is rare for a driver to be doing 40km within the school zone,” Ms Laver said.

“Many people speed around the streets surrounding Sunnybank State School such as Eddy St.”

Ms Laver said police could do more. “I walk across that road twice a day and have never seen it patrolled by police,” she said.

“I think it is vital that both Station Rd and Lister St are traffic calmed for safety.’’