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Flashing lights have been installed this week in a Manly Vale school zone after local parents and Manly MP Mike Baird launched a campaign in response to speeding in the area.
“There have been two fatalities and dozens of injuries caused by speeding in this school zone so it is tremendous that the community has won the fight to make the area safer,” Mr Baird said.
“Local mum Brigid Asquith-Hunt should feel very proud she led the campaign to have the flashing lights installed.
“There were also more than 1000 people who signed a petition in November last year that we sent to the Minister for Roads to demand action.”
Mr Baird said the Condamine Street school zone is a high-traffic area utilised by students from St Kieran’s Primary School, Mackellar Girls High School, Manly Vale Public School and Manly Vale Community Kindergarten.
“It’s a six-lane thoroughfare used by thousands of Peninsula drivers heading to the city every day and with so many school children nearby it was a real danger zone.
“Motorists also gather a lot of speed in the 80km zone leading up to Condamine Street and didn’t have sufficient notice of the need to slow down.”
Mr Baird said the community has also asked for the northern sign to be repositioned in the lead-up to the zone so motorists can reduce their speed before the 40km limit applies.
Brigid Asquith-Hunt said it has been a long fight to improve driver and pedestrian safety, however she is motivated by the win.
“To think it is almost a year ago that I started the campaign but, as I was reading in Richard Branson’s book last week, ‘hard-won things are more valuable than those that come too easily’!” Brigid said.
“It’s terrific what people power can do. Everyone who signed the petition and wrote to the Minister can feel pretty chuffed they’ve made a difference,” said Mr Baird.
MEDIA: Lisa Harrington – 0406 726 880
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