Deputy Principal Wellbeing Mary Duma thanks parents, carers and other community members for their care on the roads around IGS.
The City of Sydney has been upgrading road safety around the School since late last year and has raised and paved shared traffic and pedestrian zones near the entrance to the School.
“The City has indicated that zebra crossing line markings will be added to the Kelly Street and Mountain Street crossing areas by the start of Term 2, when the weather clears up,” Ms Duma said.
“We have also requested a safer crossing at Bay Street between Queen and Crown streets.”
Ms Duma said City of Sydney CEO Monica Barone wrote to her in early November last year after a member of her team visited the School to discuss road safety.
Ms Duma was told that the upgraded, marked pedestrian crossings in Kelly Street, west of Mountain Street, and in Mountain Street, south of Kelly Street to raised crossings were expected to be completed by the end of last year to increase visibility for approaching drivers and slow down traffic.
“We will upgrade the roundabout and pedestrian refuges at Bay and Kelly Streets as soon as budget allows. This will improve visibility and help students walk safely between your two campuses,” Ms Barone wrote.
“We do not plan to build a pedestrian crossing or replace the roundabout with traffic signals because these options would require removing many parking spaces and take far longer to implement.
“To improve safety for students walking up Mountain Street, we will also schedule an
upgrade of the roundabout and pedestrian refuges at Smail Street when budget allows.”
Drive-by safety reminders
In the meantime, Ms Duma has reminded all parents and carers to heed traffic signs around the School and be aware that hefty fines apply for those who park in front of the School between 7am and 10am and between 2pm and 5pm.
Parents collecting children by car are asked to stay in their cars at all times, drive on when requested by IGS staff, clearly display the surname and year group of the child on the windscreen of the passenger side of the car, and not stop across the driveway nor roundabout.
Parents on foot are asked not to stand outside the front gates where they block the line of sight of staff to cars.
Kindergarten to Year 2 parents are asked to wait to the side nearest the mosaic, Years 3 to 6 parents are asked to wait near the Preschool entrance. All parents of young children are asked to use the crossing with their child.