More school zones for Brisbane State High School

SPEED limits on five major roads could be dropped during peak hour as the council investigates new school zones around a prestigious inner-city high school.

The council is investigating new school zones for Brisbane State High School.

SPEED limits on five major roads could be dropped during peak hour as the council investigates new school zones around a prestigious inner-city high school.

Councillor Jonathan Sri announced today that council officers had plans to add more school zones around Brisbane State High School after consistent lobbying.

He said Merivale St, Cordelia St, Vulture St, Glenelg St, Ernest St, Gladstone Rd and Besant St could have school zones implemented.

Brisbane City Council confirmed they were investigating new school zones for Brisbane State High School but only identified five streets that were up for the change.

The current school zone for Brisbane State High School is on Edmonstone St. Picture: File

Cr Sri said this was the “probably the biggest change to speed limits around South Brisbane in at least a decade”.

Cr Sri said he frequently saw students forced onto the gutter or the road because there was not enough room on the footpaths, especially on high-profile Vulture St.

“The stretch of Vulture St between Brisbane State High and the train station is currently still signed as 60km/h,” he said.

“It would only take one-fast moving truck to lose control and mount the kerb, and literally dozens of students could be injured or killed in an instant.”

Infrastructure chairwoman Amanda Cooper confirmed Brisbane State High School had been identified for the Enhanced School Zone program, which began in 2015.

“Council is currently assessing motorist behaviour along Cordelia Street, Vulture Street, Merivale Street, Gladstone Road and Ernest Street approaches to Brisbane State High School and will finalise its plans in coming months,” she said.

There are more than 3000 students at Brisbane State High School, and many commute by public transport and on foot. Picture: File

“Close to 4,000 students and parents are crossing at major multi-lane roads around Brisbane State High School on a daily basis and council believes the school zone will boost the safety of students,” Cr Cooper said.

She said the council had installed new school zones at 42 schools across Brisbane in the past four years.

Cr Sri has lobbied for permanent speed limit reductions across the inner south for years, and said this was a positive outcome.

“Obviously we would like to see the speed limit on streets like Vulture St reduced to 40km/h 24 hours/day, but getting these reductions in the morning and afternoon peaks is a great start,” he said.