School Zone Santa .Com

On Monday 3 Sept I had a look at the new variable speed camera at the school zone on King Georges Rd Beverly Hills.

I was there from 8.10 till 9.10am and even though there is a large computor warning sign on a trailer at he start of the school zone warning drivers about the 24 hr variable speed camera, I counted the south bound camera flash go off at least 30 times.

It seems that drivers don't realize that the whole of the shopping strip is a school zone.

The drivers on the other side of the road are more aware of the school zone because they have a second flashing light unit.

The EXTRA very helpful center median flashing light unit.

The speed camera is on the left near the (hard to see) parked van.

The road slopes down all the way to this speed camera

so it's on the brakes to keep it at 40.

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BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD IS A DIFFERENT MATTER

There are flashing lights way back up King Georges Rd at the school, but no middle median flashing light unit at the shops like the one across the road and the cars coming out of busy side roads Morgan St and Tooronga St from Kingsgrove and Bexly North .....are on their own.

The road once again also slopes all the way to the speed camera.

The dark car in the kerb lane was definately exceeding 40 klmh and was snapped by the neatly mounted camera and light.

Note the differant style of camera and light units

By the way there is a fence down the centre of part of the road, high planter boxes down another section a pedestrian over bridge, pedestrian lights and other light controlled intersections.

A lot of drivers unfamiliar with the area simply don't realize that this is ALL a school zone.

If a flashing light unit was added to the school zone sign on the centre median, it would help make a lot more drivers aware.

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I have e-mailed this letter to Mr Roozendaal our roads minister.

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Dear Minister,
I would like to bring to your attention a situation at a school zone on King Georges rd. Beverly hills.
There are flashing lights at this zone, and now also a new set of speed cameras, but a lot of drivers don't realize that the whole shopping strip is a school zone.
Because it's such a long zone, (.9 klm) can a second warning light unit be added to the school zone sign that is half way heading South towards Hurstville, similar to the one already on the other side of the road.

Without going on in detail here, my concern about this school zone is explained, with photos, on my web site www.schoolzonesanta.com

Thank you for your time

Yours faithfully
Hans Stephens
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There should be no problem adding lights to the sign in question because of the RTA's favoured use of solar powered units.

The RTA is actually putting two sets of flashing lights at school zones as this photo shows, (although at the time I took the picture, one was faulty.)

So it would only need one phone call from the ministers office to get one of these "spare" units installed on the sign at Beverly Hills where it can do some good.

How many drivers will get caught out when the trailer mounted signs are taken away?

How many drivers are going to loose their licence today and every day at this school zone, and don't know till THAT letter arrives?

Is the whole idea of school zones devalued by having one nearly a kilometre long, on what is virtually a divided road, and most of the zone nowhere near a school?

Yes but it's a busy shopping strip you might argue.

OK, why not then make all shopping areas school zones?