Council urges drivers to put safety of local children first after George Road incident
Ararat Rural City Council is urging parents and carers to put the safety of local children ahead of convenience when dropping off and picking up students at Ararat West Primary School, following an incident this week in which a child was struck by a vehicle.
Council is reminding drivers that parking and stopping restrictions around the school, including signed no stopping and no parking areas, plus no stopping in the bus zone, are in place to protect children’s safety and must be obeyed at all times. The main streets affected are George Road, and Kneebone and Hucker Streets.
CEO Dr Tim Harrison said Council had invested in new parking signage around local schools, and that parents and carers have an important role to play in making those measures effective. “Every family wants to get as close to the gate as they can, particularly on busy mornings and afternoons, but that convenience can never come before the safety of our kids,” Dr Harrison said. “When drivers stop in signed no stopping zones, double park, or ignore the road rules, they block sightlines, create congestion, and make it harder for everyone to see children who are crossing. That is exactly how near misses and incidents happen, and it is completely avoidable.”
Council officers, alongside Victoria Police, will be actively enforcing school parking and stopping rules around Ararat West Primary School in the coming weeks, with infringements of $102 and $204 applying for relevant offences.
Dr Harrison said the decision to step up enforcement reflected Council’s commitment to protecting children and supporting the school community. “Our Community Safety Officers are simply doing their job to keep people safe, and some of the abuse – both online and in person - they have copped over this issue is disgraceful,” he said.
“We will always listen to community feedback, but threats, aggression, keyboard warriors and verbal abuse will not change the fact that the law is there to protect children. We need everyone to slow down, follow the signs, and help us make sure every child gets to and from school safely, every day.”
Parents and carers are encouraged to allow extra time at school drop-off and pick-up, park legally a short distance from the gate, and walk the remaining way with their children where possible. Council will continue working with Ararat West Primary School and Victoria Police to improve safety and awareness around school zones across the municipality.
