Balwyn North kindergarten community calls for better safeguards on busy road

Bellevue Kindergarten, located next to Cascade Park alongside the busy VicRoads-controlled road running into the Eastern Freeway, has 86 children over four groups aged between three and five.

Kinder committee of management secretary and parent, Melissa Macrae, said traffic around school drop-off made it too dangerous for children to even attempt to cross the road.

“We have seen a significant increase in heavy vehicle traffic such as large trucks and buses along Bulleen Rd, particularly during the morning peak period,” Ms Macrae said.

“The speed limit along Bulleen Rd in 60km/h and we do no qualify for a 40km/h school zone.”

Ms Macrae said making matters worse was that it was 600 metres to the nearest crossing at the Bulleen Rd-Doncaster Rd intersection to the south and Bulleen Rd-Hillview Rd intersection to the north.

“Often, we have parents juggling two or three young children, or grandparents accompanying these young children,” she said.

“We have had some near misses with the traffic along Bulleen Rd and we fear it is a matter of time before a serious incident occurs.”

The kindergarten has started a petition on the change.org website, which has already received more than 100 responses.

Ms Macrae said the kindergarten had approached Boroondara Council, state and federal MPs and VicRoads, but as yet had no response to the campaign.

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VicRoads Acting Director of Transport and Planning Metro East Savoula Lidis said while pleased that the kindergarten had taken up a campaign there were no plans for a reduction in speed or a crossing at the site.

“Although there are no plans to extend school speed zone programs to preschools, we are willing to work with the community to improve pedestrian safety where possible,” Ms Lidis said.

“Currently there is a pedestrian refuge outside the Bellevue Kindergarten and it’s important people make use of this to help them cross the road safely in two stages.”

FEARS FOR CHILDREN

BELLEVUE Kindergarten in Balwyn North fears ­“impulsive” preschool ­children are at high risk ­trying to cross Bulleen Rd.

A teacher at the kinder, Cathy Gleisner, said young children did not develop ­peripheral vision until the ages of eight to 10, yet ­although zones around high schools were 40km/h, there were no such rules for kindergartens.

“From a developmental perspective, preschool children are naturally spontaneous and impulsive — if they see something they want on the other side of the road, or a ball rolls on to the road for example, they are very likely to run straight out without thinking,” she said.

“When taking the children out on local excursions, Bulleen Rd is difficult for them to negotiate because their little legs can’t get across quickly and we have had abuse from angry drivers who are forced to slow down.”

VicRoads has no plans to extend school speed zones to preschools.

Early Childhood Australia spokeswoman Christine ­Cullen said the issue had not been raised with the not-for-profit advocacy group.

But Ms Cullen said it was something that could be pursued if there was ­sufficient support.