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Flashing lights for school zones

Two local schools on the Peninsula will receive flashing warning lights for school zones, according to Save Our Suburbs media relations officer Mr Mark Ellis.

The schools are Woy Woy Public School, Blackwall Rd and Woy Woy South Public School, Ocean Beach Rd.

"After a long campaign by Save Our Suburbs and local school P&Cs to enhance the safety of local school children, the NSW Government has finally announced a list of 100 schools to receive flashing warning lights for school zones," Mr Ellis said.

"These lights are to alert road users that 40 kilometre schools zones are currently in force.

Ms Ellis said the warning lights would be installed by Christmas in the local schools.

"The parents, children and all road users will benefit from Roads Minister Eric Roozendaal fulfilling a promise he made in May that 100 schools would have flashing lights installed in the next two months.

"Even though speed camera revenues have been dropping, the masses of money raked in by speed cameras will now be put to good use."

Mr Ellis said the lights would cost $7.2 million and would be funded from the RTA's road-safety budget and revenue from speed cameras in school zones.

"RTA figures that showed across the state, a child was hit by a car every two days on the way to and from school," Mr Ellis said.

"The figures showed more than 1000 children had been injured and 11 killed during the past five years.

"Yet the government constantly baulked at implementing warnings for the 40 kilometre school zones.

"Now with cameras, lights, signage and police enforcement these distressing figures will hopefully fall."

Press release, October 23 Mark Ellis, Save Our Suburbs Central Coast