School Crossing at St Edmunds

School Crossing at St Edmunds

Most roads surrounding ACT schools are school zones, i.e. 40km/h from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm.  Canberra Avenue is not a school-zone road.  The reason for this is that Canberra Avenue is an arterial road, and the Government is reluctant to change it to a school zone.  This reasoning is difficult to understand when other arterial roads near schools have been zoned 40km/h, including arterial roads on the perimeter of Marist College, Narrabundah College, Radford College and Merici College. 

Students from both St Edmund’s College and St Clare’s College need to cross Canberra Avenue for a number of reasons.  There are students who reside in Kingston, who need to use bus services based along Wentworth Avenue and senior students who cross Canberra Avenue to access food retail outlets and businesses. The nearest signalised crossings across Canberra Avenue are located at Nyrang Street, Narrabundah (1km east of St Edmund’s) and Captain Cook Crescent, Manuka (1.2km west of St Edmund’s).   It is unsafe for students to be crossing Canberra Avenue, especially at peak times of the day.

You may show support for a safe crossing for students by signing an e-petition.  This e-petition is supported by Elizabeth Lee MLA, Leader of the Opposition.  If the e-petition achieves 500 signatures, it will be presented to the relevant Legislative Assembly Committee and the relevant Minister must present a response to the Legislative Assembly. The e-petition requests the Assembly to call upon the Government to reduce the speed limit along Canberra Avenue between Barrallier Street, Griffith and Hume Circle (i.e. the roundabout opposite St Clare’s College), Griffith, to 40km/h (or at least to commence the process to consider other options in making Canberra Avenue safer to cross for our students).

Please note that the petition is only open to residents of ACT.  NSW residents cannot sign the e-petition. 

The link to the e-petition is here: Canberra Avenue School Zone e-petitio

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