The Stanhope Government has failed to do any planning to provide traffic calming or pedestrian and cycling safety infrastructure for students travelling longer distances to and from school as a result of school closures.
A way of highlighting this Government neglect and incompetence in providing for student safety is for parent groups to organise a ‘safety hazard walk’ to other schools in the region. The purpose is to document and highlight safety hazards for young children walking or cycling to a school outside their local neighbourhood.
‘Safety hazard walks’ could be organised by whole groups of families as a way of generating media publicity about the safety risks of travelling to a school outside the neighbourhood. Good media liaison is essential to the success of these events. Also, it is a good idea to check the route beforehand so as to be prepared for significant safety risks, especially if young children are involved.
The information obtained in such walks can be used in press releases to highlight the lack of Government planning and concern for student safety. It can also be used in submissions on the Towards 2020 Plan.