Warden-controlled school crossings to be slowed to 40km/h in Bunbury under $10m State Government commitment

Bunbury drivers are set to be required to slow down to 40km/h around all warden-controlled school crossings in the city. The State Government announced the expansion of school zones on Monday, which will see them grow to include designated crossings manned at the start and end of the school day. A number of areas around schools in the Bunbury area are on the target list, with Australind Primary School and Australind Senior High School’s crossing on Paris Road one of the highest priorities. The changes will be implemented over the next few years, with five others crossings in the area to be impacted by the changes. Treendale Primary School’s The Boulevard crossing will also see the speed limit dropped from 60km/h to 40km/h during school drop-off and pick-up times. Speeds around Eaton Primary School’s Millard Street, Bunbury Baptist College’s Norton Promenade, South Bunbury Primary School’s Spencer Street and Cooinda Primary School’s King Road crossings will reduce by 10km/h. That will be in effect from 7.30am to 9am and 2.30pm to 4pm on school days. Crossings with speed limits of 60km/h or more will have electronic signage implemented, while those with a 50km/h speed limit will receive static signage to alert drivers to the changes. The changes will cost $10 million from the State Government as part of its 2024/25 budget, funded by the Road Safety Commission’s Road Trauma Trust Account. Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the move was pivotal to increasing safety for school children and traffic wardens. “Expanding the program to reducing speeds to 40 km/h at children’s crossings outside of the existing school zones emphasises our commitment to prioritising the safety of our most vulnerable road users,” she said. “Creating safer road environments encourages parents and children to embrace more active modes of travel to and from school.” Road Safety Minister David Michael said the funding from Road Trauma Trust Account would see fines from speed and red-light cameras used to improve road safety for some of the State’s most vulnerable road users.