Ipswich City Council has listened to community feedback and will install 40km/h zones outside two schools in Springfield and Goodna.
Over many years, council has received several requests to consider implementing a 40 km/h school zone along the frontage of both the Goodna Special School, located along Queen Street, Goodna (currently 60km/h) and the Hymba Yumba Independent School, located along Springfield Parkway, Springfield (currently 70 km/h).
A report from the Growth and Infrastructure Committee said members of the Goodna school community had suggested that as some of the students may not have the same cognitive awareness as students attending other schools (i.e. students can often be unpredictable and may venture out on to the road), special consideration should be given to the implementation of a 40 km/h school zone on Queen Street, Goodna.
Council had also recently been advised that the school is to undergo an expansion to cater for current and future student population growth.
An investigation of the school operations was undertaken by council during the school peak periods at the Goodna Special School on 7 June, 2019.
Council also conducted a comprehensive review of the data collected which included on-site investigations, road hierarchy, crash data and vehicle volumes and vehicle travel speeds.
Officers determined that even though Queen Street is an arterial road, the average speed which vehicles were travelling at was well below the posted speed limit of 60km/h. It was also noted that no reported crashes had occurred in vicinity of the school.
It was recommended by officers that implementation of a 40km/h school zone on Queen Street was not required.
With Hymba Yumba Independent School, there is a refuge island located on Springfield Parkway, positioned mid-way between the main entry and exit driveways for the school.
This refuge island allows pedestrians, and particularly visitors and students of the school, to stage their crossing across busy Springfield Parkway.
The report to committee said an investigation of the school operations was undertaken during the school peak periods at Hymba Yumba on 19 September, 2019. Council also conducted a comprehensive review of the data collected which included on-site investigations, road hierarchy, crash data and vehicle volumes and vehicle travel speeds.
Officers again determined that even though Springfield Parkway is a sub-arterial road, the average speed which vehicles were travelling at was well below the posted speed limit of 70km/h. It was also noted that no reported crashes had occurred in vicinity of the school.
It was also recommended by officers that implementation of a 40km/h school zone on Springfield Parkway was not required.
Members of the Interim Management Committee queried whether guidelines took into account the fact that Goodna is a special school or that the Hymba Yumba school had been built on an inappropriate site, and that if the school community was asking for the reduced school zone and it had been elevated to MPs’ attention, why would council not consider it.
Interim Administrator Greg Chemello, at the council meeting this week, over-ruled the officers’ recommendations and determined that 40km/h zones should be installed at both locations.
Mr Chemello said the officers had compiled “very good technical reports” but he had taken on board the broader community and school concerns.
He said due to the special needs of the Goodna students it was considered prudent and appropriate to apply the 40 km/h school zone.
“It has been observed that the Hymba Yumba school is not operating as council was initially advised and that students are walking to school and that school drop off and pick-ups are occurring on Springfield Parkway which is putting both students and parents at risk.
“The imposition of a 40 km/h school zone in the vicinity of these two schools would not appear to result in unacceptable congestion and delays to through traffic, while providing additional safety and security for students.”
Council removed the existing 40 km/h school zone on Augusta Parkway, Augustine Heights in the vicinity of St Augustine’s College, based on a reassessment of the site. The school zone along Augusta Parkway was initially installed prior to the arterial road being duplicated.
The school zone was initially installed when Augusta Parkway was a single lane, two way carriageway as there was significant school related activity on and beside the road. Since the road upgrade some years ago, however, there is no longer any school related activity along the Augusta Parkway.
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Still 80kmh at West Moreton Anglican College. No pedestrian crossing and lots of new drivers in the senior cohort trying to enter traffic. I guess it will take a fatality before action is taken.
I think 40 kilometres starting at 2.30 for Goodna special school is a bit silly considering school finishes at 2.30.
the speed limit change at the Hymba Yumba school is unacceptable.
it was a 70klm/hr road prior to the approval for the school to be built.
traffic management plans of the school application would have factored in the 70klm/hr speed limit.
it was obvious from the beginning the school has been built in an inappropriate location, but this sits with Ipswich City Council – who was the idiot that approved it? what size brown paper bag did they receive to make it happen?
now you’re trying to make it everyone else’s problem.
if the school is not operating as council was initially advised – then get it operating to that standard, don’t lower the standard.
It was recommended by officers that implementation of a 40km/h school zone on Springfield Parkway is NOT required, yet this Mr Chemello thinks he knows better – what broader community and school concerns did he receive? I live in the area and it has never been raised as a concern. is Mr Chemello aware Ipswich lost their entire elected representatives because they were corrupt & here he is being just as under handed in his dealings.
if the school has to be re-located then so be it, it should never have been built where it is and it shouldn’t be a surprise that people are doing 70klm/hr on that road as it was a 70klm/hr road prior to the approval for the school to be built.
I have just emailed [email protected] to have the decision at Hymba Yumba Independent School overturned. please do the same.
Springfield Parkway is a major connector road through Greater Springfield and must remain as an uninterrupted 70klm/hr road.
Springfield Parkway has been a 70klm/hr road for as long as I can remember – long before the approval for the school was granted. As I said before – this sits with Ipswich City Council, they approved it. Get it operating to the standard council was initially advised otherwise re-locate the school but don’t lower the standard to accommodate non-compliance.
the ONLY broader community and school concern I have heard is that the school was built in a stupid location, no-one has ever raised that a 40 km/h zone should be implemented.
STOP this now
the fact this decision has been made with Nil community consultation speaks volumes – it tells me the culture within Ipswich City Council hasn’t changed one iota. The council is more interested in doing whatever it likes rather than doing what is right.
Re: Hymba Yumba Independent School, Springfield Parkway
There can be no question about 40 Km zones in school areas, safety must come first.
I assume it is common knowledge that school 40Km zones do slow down traffic this fact make it important to place
schools away from main arterial road systems.
Springfield Parkway is a main arterial road, during peak hours it is not uncommon for traffic to come to a slow crawl.
I find it unbelievable the Hymba Yumba Independent School project was approved to be situated on Springfield Parkway. I think it
raises serious questions about the planning department’s qualifications. To top it off the structure is misplaced on the allocated land.
To suggest slowing Springfield Parkway, a main arterial road down to 40Km during peak hour is unacceptable, I recommend the clever
planners that approved the school in the first place to find alternative solutions or simply face reality and demolish the school.
When will Springfield Parkway be upgraded to the planed 2 lanes in each direction.
I worry it is the same department that planned Springfield Central train station with very few parking spaces, did they expect
customers to arrive by foot or even worse not many users.
Dear Madam / Sir,
Re: Hymba Yumba Independent School, Springfield Parkway
There can be no question about 40 Km zones in school areas, safety must come first.
I assume it is common knowledge that school 40Km zones do slow down traffic this fact make it important to place
schools away from main arterial road systems.
Springfield Parkway is a main arterial road, during peak hours it is not uncommon for traffic to come to a slow crawl.
I find it unbelievable the Hymba Yumba Independent School project was approved to be situated on Springfield Parkway. I think it
raises serious questions about the planning department’s qualifications. To top it off the structure is misplaced on the allocated land.
To suggest slowing Springfield Parkway, a main arterial road down to 40Km during peak hour is unacceptable, I recommend the clever
planners that approved the school in the first place to find alternative solutions or simply face reality and demolish the school.
When will Springfield Parkway be upgraded to the planed 2 lanes in each direction.
I worry it is the same department that planned Springfield Central train station with very few parking spaces, did they expect
customers to arrive by foot or even worse not many users.
I NOTICED MY COMMENT NEED YOUR APPROVAL BEFORE IT IS POSTED!!!
What is the point making a comment if it is only posted upon council approval?
40km on Springfield parkway outside the school is nuts.. that area is so busy, I don’t even understand why a school was approved on a main road..
Clearly council didn’t ask the community what they wanted as everyone I know (who regularly uses this road) doesn’t want this change.
I’ve never seen an accident or even a child crossing the road here so why this change is occurring is silly- just because people sometimes go slow down the road doesn’t warrant the change.
A poorly implemented location for Hymba Yumba to be cascaded with another poor decision, to disregard the advice of the officers and implement the 40km per hour zone.
I would consider this gross incompetence, however the overwhelming evidence supplied removes ignorance as an excuse. This is more inline with malicious behaviour to cover the tracks of previous poor decision making!