Tuesday, 20 June 2023

 Jess WILSON (Kew) (14:41): (204) My question is to the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. Will the minister commit to reviewing road safety on Barkers Road in Kew with a view to installing additional pedestrian crossings? Nearly a quarter of the population in my electorate is under the age of 19. As the member for Kew, I am determined to listen to our younger residents and be their voice in the Parliament on the matters that are important to them. That is why I recently held a primary school leaders forum where Molly and Atrisa from Methodist Ladies College raised concerns about road safety for their fellow classmates outside MLC on Barkers Road. Indeed there are many schools and kinders along the stretch of Barkers Road between Power Street and Burke Road. Thousands of school-age children commute there daily, with cars and buses ferrying kids to and from school at peak times. It is an oversight that there are no pedestrian crossings to allow students to cross Barkers Road safely, except on the busy intersections of Glenferrie and Auburn roads. Given the significant traffic volume on Barkers Road and this school zone, a safety-first approach warrants a pedestrian crossing somewhere between Glenferrie Road and Auburn Road, perhaps around Rossfield Avenue or Lofts Avenue, as suggested by Molly and Atrisa. I ask the minister to review the traffic volume on Barkers Road.