Paarents take local bus safety into own hands

19th July 2008

CONCERNED parent Tony Monley feels compelled to warn his 14-year-old daughter each school morning to watch out for the younger students waiting for the bus on Groundwater Road.

The absence of a bus shelter and street signs where a cluster of school students gather has made safety a priority for nearby parents.

Mr Monley said it was a daily practice to ensure the younger children steered clear of the road's edge.

Residents have heightened their push for a bus shelter after a recent hooning incident saw a sign post struck down metres away from the bus stop.

"You see a lot of people speed around that corner and one day someone is not going to be paying attention and disaster will happen," Mr Monley said.

"It's all muddy so the kids hang near the road where it's cleaner but if there was somewhere dry they wouldn't stand near the road."

Residents have long campaigned for council to install a shelter but have been advised funding could be unattainable on the non-commercial bus route.

Works and Services Committee chairman councillor Larry Friske said the suggested option of a portable bus shelter to ensure maximum use had not been discussed for Groundwater Road.