St Peters: Residents demand school zone near Campbell St intersection

Residents are calling on the state government to address a busy road with four lanes of traffic, which they claim is turning their daily school runs into a dangerous dash.

A group of locals at Campbell St, St Peters, protesting the need for a school zone.

For a group of residents from Sydney’s inner west, heading back to school this year entailed a nerve-racking dash across a dangerous intersection and four lanes of traffic.

On Tuesday, the St Peters community were once again urging the state government to fix a perilous intersection at Campbell St as they gathered for a protest at Simpson Park, just across from St Peters Public School.

The group of disgruntled residents were calling for the installation of a school zone, which would reduce the speed from 50km/h to 40km/h, along the busy intersection.

Frustrated parents said they started the school year with a protest to bring attention to the issue.

Elliott Agnew, a parent at the school who is also visually impaired, said he had trouble taking his three young children to school because of the need to cross Campbell St.

A group of locals protesting the need for a school zone at the Campbell St crossing. Picture: Martin Brady.

“It’s busy and cars often dangerously speed through the intersection,” Mr Agnew said.

“I use a guide dog and I’m often stuck because cars try to run the red light and then queue up blocking the pedestrian crossing.”

Dr Sarina Kilham.

Dr Sarina Kilham, a local resident who is running as an independent for the state electorate of Heffron at the upcoming election, said this was not the first time the community had spoken up on road safety.

“Enough is enough — we need to provide a safe way for students to access their school,” Ms Kilham said.

“Kids can’t avoid this crossing — it’s the only route to the primary school and our kids should be able to walk, cycle or ride their scooter without fearing the worst.”

For many years this has been a hot bed issue for the St Peter’s primary school community.

Families whose students attend the school have recorded and documented vision of cars running red lights on their “Make Campbell St Crossing Safe” Facebook page.

More than 25 separate CrimeStopper reports with video recordings of trucks and vehicles driving through the red light at the crossing have also been reported.

In 2021, Heffron MP Ron Hoenig banded together with the Inner West Council to lobby for a school zone on Campbell St.

Council documents from this meeting state Campbell St had been “transformed” by WestConnex works.

“It once was a narrow two-way regional road … Post WestConnex works, Campbell St is a four-lane road, likely carrying in excess of the previous traffic volumes of 8000 vehicles per day,” council documents state.

A Transport for NSW spokesman said it would continue to monitor the area and are committed to the safety of all children using their roads

“The NSW speed zoning guidelines outline the requirements for timed 40 km/h speed limits on lengths of road with an active direct access to the school … (and) all streets with direct access to St Peters Public School are already 40 km/h zones,” the spokesman said.

“The intersection of Campbell St and St Peters St at Simpson Park has traffic lights and a signalised crossing for pedestrians.”