The Malinauskas Labor Government remains silent on desperate community calls for a red light camera to guard the Marryatville High School crossing, while budget papers have revealed SA’s crucial School Crossing Program has been delayed a year potentially leaving children at risk.
The unexplained delay to the program - worth $4.7 million in total - means high-priority school crossing upgrades won’t be completed until June 2024.
The shock revelation follows a CBD crash on Thursday morning when a woman and six-year-old girl were struck by a car outside St Aloysius College.
More than a month ago, the Opposition called on Peter Malinauskas to address the concerns of the local community by heeding their calls for a red light camera outside Marryatville High School - the location where students were seriously injured in March.
The Centre for Automotive Safety Research (CASR) says there is a 21 per cent reduction in serious injury crashes at intersections where a fixed camera is installed.
Shadow Minister for Road Safety, Vincent Tarzia, said Peter Malinauskas cannot afford to drag the chain on crucial upgrades to school crossings.
“A one-year delay to the School Crossing Program is a failure by Peter Malinauskas because it means children could face additional risk on our roads when they shouldn’t have to,” Mr Tarzia said.
“In recent days we’ve seen a woman and six-year-old girl hit by a car outside a school - it’s a frightening reminder that we must do everything we can to protect vulnerable road users and that’s why we are so concerned with Labor’s delay on the School Crossing Program.
“We need an explanation on why the School Crossing Program has been delayed by a year, which schools are missing out, and Peter Malinauskas must outline what additional safety precautions are being put in place to ensure all crossing are up to code in the interim.”
Member for Bragg, Jack Batty, said it’s disappointing Peter Malinauskas has ignored the pleas of concerned parents from Marryatville High School.
“Worried parents have waited more than a month for an answer to their pleas for a red light camera to be installed at Marryatville, yet Peter Malinauskas remains silent,” Mr Batty said.
“We need this camera installed as soon as possible, especially when we know there were a further two near misses at the Marryatville High School crossing just after the March 21 crash.
“There’s still been no word on the state-wide audit of school crossings which I called for two months ago and whether any improvements will be made. When it comes to protecting children, we can’t put a price on their safety.”
