PARENTS had long campaigned for safety measures on a stretch of road where a girl, 12, was hit by a car near Menai High School on Monday afternoon.
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Sutherland Shire Council was aware of the dangers and planned to install a pedestrian crossing but was awaiting funding.
The year 7 student underwent surgery for a broken leg after she was hit while trying to cross a section of Old Illawarra Road where there were no pedestrian crossings or traffic lights.
She is expected to make a full recovery and will return to school in a wheelchair next week, family friend Paula Collins said.
Less than 24 hours after the accident, the Leader watched as more than 100 students darted across the road, where the speed limit was 60km/h. Some walked along the middle of the road as they made their way to catch an express metro bus south of Oriana Drive.
Several parents described the stretch of road as a "nightmare" and many were surprised no one had been killed.
A Sutherland Shire Council spokeswoman said more students crossed the road since the state metro bus service was introduced in 2011.
"Unfortunately, this accident occurred before a solution could be finalised, however council is now working with RMS, Veolia and Transport for NSW to examine a range of options to improve safety along the road, including provision of a school zone, a pedestrian crossing and an indented bus bay," she said. "Council is also working to install a crossing as soon as possible on site."
Menai High School principal Edith McNally said there was a need for increased safety measures to cater for students trying to access the red express buses opposite the school.
‘‘Students electing to use the express bus service rather than the closely supervised school bus service are crossing busy Old Illawarra Road at the beginning and end of the school day,’’ Ms McNally said. ‘‘The changed circumstances clearly indicate the need for traffic management systems which protect students.’’
P&C president Robynne Challinor said parents had lobbied the RMS and council about the dangerous road and were unsuccessful in their attempts to have the area classified as a school zone.
‘‘The problem has always been that because it’s not directly adjacent to the school it won’t get classified as a school zone,’’ Ms Challinor said.
An RMS spokeswoman said a number of parents had voiced concerns after the incident this week and two letters were received in 2008 and 2011.
She said Old Illawarra Road was under the care and control of the council, which was responsible for safety measures, but the RMS would provide any technical advice needed.
A council spokesman said a request was sent to Veolia Transport NSW to divert the metro bus service via the existing school bus bay on Gerald Road during school start and finish times.
Sutherland police said they did not believe speed was a factor in Monday’s accident and breath-tested the woman, 64, who was driving the white Toyota Hiace that struck the girl.
An off-duty nurse helped the girl before she was taken by paramedics to Sydney Children’s Hospital.
ACCIDENT NO SURPRISE
VINCE Trimarchi said he felt sick when he heard tyres screech and a girl screaming metres from his fresh vegie farm business on the side of Old Illawarra Road on Monday afternoon.
Mr Trimarchi rang Triple-0 after he saw a girl, 12, lying on the road and said the spot was an accident waiting to happen.
He said every morning and afternoon he felt nervous watching a sea of students in red and white uniforms cross the road to catch the bus about 50 metres south of his fruit shop.
‘‘You have to see it to believe it,’’ Mr Trimarchi said.
‘‘It’s very dangerous and it’s so easy for kids to run across the road and get hit,’’ he said.
‘‘They are like a herd of sheep and they don’t look properly.’’
What do you think needs to be done to prevent further incidents on Old Illawarra Rd?
