Revealed: Melbourne’s worst school traffic snarls

School traffic has turned into a nightmare in some parts of Melbourne, with drivers and passengers forced to sit in their cars for 13 times longer on school days.

Frustrated parents are spending 13 times longer in the car on school days as traffic chaos peaks during key pick-up and drop-off times.

Melbourne’s southeast is among the worst for school traffic delays, the Herald Sun can reveal.

More than 40 active level crossing removal projects are also impacting traffic speeds across the city, with road closures and detours in dozens of suburbs, including Surrey Hills, Reservoir, Pakenham, Deer Park, Glen Huntly and Caulfield East.

Many local streets around schools are in gridlock, compounded by a lack of parking, crossings and inconsiderate drivers, parents say.

Parents dropping off their children at Cranbourne East Primary and Secondary School in February were met with the worst traffic – an average speed of just 3km/h in March – the latest research from HERE Technologies’ shows.

What would usually be a 41-second trip around the school is taking drivers more than nine minutes to complete.

The average speed of traffic approaching Dandenong North Primary School on Kirkham Rd halved as the school term progressed in February, from 40km/h to 16km/h.

Drivers travelling on Aayana St to get to Wilandra Rise Primary School also travelled at an average speed of 6km/h during peak times – making the 30-second drive nearly seven times longer to complete.

Roads near Berwick Lodge Primary School and Narre Warren South P-12 College had heavy delays, reduced to average speeds of 26km/h and 18km/h respectively.

In Melbourne’s East, Mont Albert Rd, which has several schools nearby, including Camberwell Grammar School, Mont Albert Primary School and Our Holy Redeemer School, was reduced to 29km/h.

Traffic crawled at an average speed of just 3km/h outside Cranbourne East Primary in March. Picture: Mark Stewart

Average speeds near Birralee Primary School in Doncaster only reached 26km/h during peak school times, with a low of just 11km/h.

Melbourne’s busy roads are also raising concerns for student safety.

General Manager for Australia and New Zealand at HERE Technologies Daniel Antonello said it is becoming “increasingly challenging” for parents to navigate through peak traffic hours.

“Not only does slow school traffic seriously test the patience of parents, longer commutes and increased stress for drivers could potentially result in safety hazards for schoolchildren who are walking or biking to school,” Mr Antonello said.

In Melbourne’s north, the average speed of parents driving near Coburg High School, on Urquhart St and Alva Grove reached just 6km/h during peak times in February.

Traffic outside Berwick Lodge Primary slows to just 26km/h during peak school times.

Merri-bek Council Mayor Angelica Panopoulos said students also feel unsafe walking on the school’s surrounding roads, particularly across the Bell Street Bridge.

“Coburg High School students and their parents have told us how unsafe they feel walking across the Bell Street Bridge to travel to and from school, access public transport and shops,” Cr Panopoulos said.

In 2021, a Coburg High School student was hit by a car in the risk area.

Darebin’s Mayor Julie Williams called on the state government for urgent action to improve student safety.

“The narrow footpath along the busy road can be an incredibly daunting experience, especially for schoolchildren, potentially discouraging them from walking or biking to school,” Cr Williams said.

“The safety of our children should be the top priority, and we implore the government to act swiftly to address this critical issue.”