Highfields State School parents launch petition to improve safety along New England Highway with Qld Government

Parents at a primary school along a national highway have called on the government to drop the speed limit to 40km/h and introduce cameras, fearing a student will either be hurt or killed.

Highfields State School P and C member Sheridan Fuller crosses the road with her children Campbell and Charlotte as the P and C petition for the New England Highway speed limit to be dropped to 40km/h to create a school zone, Thursday, August 29, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Parents in Highfields want student safety to be improved near the fast-growing area’s public primary school, that’s situated along a national highway, arguing it is only a matter of time before a child is hurt or killed.

The Highfields State School P and C is hoping a new petition to the Department of Transport and Main Roads will bring about the road safety reforms it has been advocating for over the past decade.

The petition, which has more than 700 signatures, is calling for a school zone to be established along the New England Highway near the Borghardt Rd intersection, which would drop the speed limit from 70km/h to 40km/h during weekdays.

Highfields State School P and C treasurer Marguerite Hannant (left) and member Sheridan Fuller as the P and C petition for the New England Highway speed limit to be dropped to 40km/h to create a school zone, Thursday, August 29, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Other reforms include installing a safety barrier between the footpath and the highway to prevent pedestrians falling or tripping into oncoming traffic, and the installation of speed, red light and mobile phone use cameras as part of the new school zone.

P and C treasurer and mum-of-two at the school Margueritte Hannant said the rate of near misses with students on the highway had only increased as Highfields has grown in population.

“In recent times things have been getting very busy around this school — we’ve seen a few near misses where students ran onto the road and were nearly hit by traffic,” she said.

“Even when crossing at the controlled crossings at the lights, there have been issues with people running red lights or red arrows and not concentrating on what they are doing. “Children are very trusting, and as soon as that green man comes up they are willing to walk and just trust that the traffic is going to stop for them and it doesn’t always do so.

“My fear is that there will be a child seriously hurt or killed, and that’s the big thing (with our petition).”

Highfields State School P and C petition for the New England Highway speed limit to be dropped to 40km/h to create a school zone, Thursday, August 29, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

School zones with 40km/h speed limits on national highways are not uncommon in Toowoomba, with Ms Hannant citing Harlaxton State School on the New England Highway/Ruthven St and Wilsonton State School on the Warrego Highway/Bridge St as examples.

She said while parents had a role to play with educating students on road safety, the behaviour of motorists and high speed limits left little room for error.

“We’ve tried to have the speed limit changed and we keep getting assured that it is within the safety parameters, but children don’t neatly fit within safety parameters,” Ms Hannant said.

“It’s not just the current P and C members and executive – this has been an ongoing issue that previous executives have been working towards for at least a decade.”

The petition, which closes on September 9, can be viewed here.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads was contacted for comment.