Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR), Douglas Shire Council (DSC), Queensland Police Service (QPS) as well as PDSS Parent and Carers met this afternoon at the corner of Port Douglas Road Ulysses Street to discuss the continuing issue of the lack of a pedestrian crossing for students to access on their way to and from school.

“Extra signage was installed about 2 weeks ago which is a start” said PDSS Parent and Carers president Janice Ruffles.

The PDSS is more than 200m away from the main road, where the pedestrian crossing is required, therefore it does not qualify for a crossing, school warning signage nor a stop-go traffic controller.  The concern is that the road where the children need to cross to access the school experiences Port Douglas’s heaviest traffic.

“The P&C have coordinated the SafeST Committee in order to lobby state government, DTMR and DSC.  Two of the issues to address are speed limit and increasing children’s awareness around road safety.  We have been successful in obtaining $5,000 through the NRMA Insurance Community Grant program and we will be conducting two safety programs.  One is Bike Education and the other is Bike Bus which involves supervised training that teaches not only children but parents how to ride and cross the road safely.  It is parents responsibility to teach their children how to ride and use the road safely ” says Janice.

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“We also need locals to be aware of the new signage because tourist are more likely to abide by the speed limits” Janice added.

Janice commented that they will be lobbying o state government and have made attempts to contact Member for Cook Billy Gordon.  Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch is supportive however this is a state matter.

Acting Senior Sergeant Damien Meadows commented that the change in signage is progress.  He is asking parents to be mindful of their children’s behavior and safety when riding on or crossing the roads to get to school.  

“They should be wearing a helmet and if they don’t and get caught they will be given a verbal warning, then a written warning and then behavioral counseling if they are caught again,” Sergeant Meadows says.

“This is a work in progress and we are happy with the results so far.  It is about the children getting to and from school safely,” he said.