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The school gate at Red Beach School has become increasingly difficult to negotiate according to a number of parents who drop off and collect their children there.
The small drop off zone outside the school, in Albert Hall Drive, is in high demand at drop off and pick up times. Parking in the streets around the school is hard to find, with many yellow line restrictions, and in recent months parents say the problem has got worse, with spaces occupied by contractors working on construction of the retirement home in Bay Vista.
Two churches in Red Beach Road make their car parks available, and they are well used. However, parent Christina Henderson says they don’t work in heavy rain, or for parents who must pick up or drop off and dash.
She says it has become normal for people dropping off and picking up children to resort to double-parking by the drop off, which is near to the corner of Red Beach Road, and a large number have been ticketed by Auckland Transport as a result.
Her petition, signed by 100 people, asks Auckland Transport to allow parking in a nearby bus stop for half an hour during the morning drop off and afternoon pick up.
“This bus stop is rarely used,” Christina says. “It’s the best solution we can come up with for now, but if it doesn’t work, maybe Auckland Transport needs to get planning.”
Auckland Transport spokesperson Mark Hannan says congestion and unsafe driving around schools is a huge problem in Auckland. He says poor driver behaviour, congestion and aggression continue to make many school gates an unpleasant and unsafe place.
He says last October, Red Beach School, among others, was invited to take part in a trial of options for making the school drop-off safer but no Hibiscus Coast schools opted to take part in the trial.
“The trial is based on national and international research into what kinds of scenarios can create the safest environments, balancing the needs of all users and also encouraging active transport like biking, riding a scooter or walking,” Mark says. “It includes enforcement along with physical changes and will be monitored and evaluated over the period of the 2018 school year. The long-term goal is to identify suitable, cost effective solutions that can then be rolled out to schools in the Auckland region.”
“We will continue to work with Red Beach School on long term options for making its school environment safe for everyone. But we will issue tickets at Red Beach and other schools for unsafe practices like double parking. It is against the law and puts parents and their children at risk,” he says.
Red Beach School was approached for comment but was unable to respond prior to our deadline.
