School Zone Santa .Com

MEDIA RELEASE
2 February 2009

RTA DIRTY TRICKS CAMPAIGN REVEALED

School zone lights campaigner Peter Olsen has today revealed details of what he claims has been an ongoing dirty tricks campaign by the RTA against his school zone flashing lights.

"The false and misleading claims made by the RTA in a recent media release were simply the latest in a series of dirty tricks the RTA has used in an attempt to discredit my lights," Mr Olsen said. "I believe it is time to reveal the full story"
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.MEDIA RELEASE RTA
28 january 2009
FLASHING LIGHTS COST CLAIMS INCORRECT
The RTA has refuted claims by Peter Olsen that reliable flashing lights can be installed and maintained safely at schools for $1000.

“Mr Olsen has good intentions, but he is misinforming the public when he claims that effective flashing light systems can be provided in school zones for $1000,” a spokesperson said.

“Mr Olsen’s cost estimate of less than $1000 for the devices does not include any costs associated with the installation, including cabling for electricity.”

“The cost of installing Mr Olsen’s lights averages around $13,000 per zone when connection to the mains power supply is taken into account.

The spokesperson said the State Government announced in 2007 that it would rollout flashing lights to 100 school zones a year over four years at a cost of $46.5 million.

“Mr Olsen’s claim that the RTA’s system costs $58,000 to install is incorrect. The cost varies between $10,000 and $13,000 depending on the work involved at each individual site.

“The remainder of the funding is used for the set up and installation of the central computer system, ongoing maintenance of the signs and the central server, site surveying, design and other ongoing costs.

“Mr Olsen hasn’t included any of these items in his costings.
“Unlike RTA's flashing light technology, Mr Olsen’s flashing lights are not connected to a central system which controls the timing and operation of lights and alerts the RTA to any problems immediately.

“This centrally controlled system is essential to ensure our children remain safe as drivers slow down during the times when students are arriving and leaving school.

“Mr Olsen’s signs have to be operated and serviced manually; which means a fault could go unnoticed, putting the lives of our most vulnerable at risk.

“While the RTA welcomes Mr Olsen’s intentions, we cannot install potentially unsafe, unreliable and infrequently monitored systems when it is our children we are trying to protect.

“Children are unpredictable and the addition of effective flashing lights in school zones where traffic volumes are high is a priority.”

The spokesperson said the RTA had advertised for tenders for its design, maintenance and servicing of flashing lights on four separate occasions and Mr Olsen had not offered a proposal at any stage.

“To date more than 260 school zones have flashing lights and this number will grow by another 100 zones this year.”
CONTACT: RTA Media Unit 8588 5999
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Peter Olsen continues,

"The RTA's actions have all been aimed at increasing the apparent cost of my lights and reducing the apparent reliability and effectiveness of them, to help justify the exorbitant cost of their systems.

"The RTA's lights are 98.2% reliable and cost $58,000 each all-up. My lights have been 100% reliable and cost $1,000 each. I have given my technology to the RTA to use for nothing yet they still oppose the use of cheaper alternatives.

1. INCREASING APPARENT COST

"In 2006 I installed eight sets of flashing lights in Peakhurst and Lugarno. I chose locations where the 40kmh signs were mounted directly on Energy Australia power poles so that powering the lights from the overhead mains would be simple and cheap. (Mains power in this application is far greener than solar power). Five signs were on power poles and three were not. It was agreed in writing that the three signs that were not on power poles would be relocated onto nearby power poles.

"An on-site meeting was planned for early August 2006 between myself, the RTA and Energy Australia to finalise the installation details.

"The day before the meeting was to take place the RTA went out and removed the five signs that were mounted on power poles and reinstalled them on separate poles up to 5m from the power poles. The only possible explanation for their actions was to increase the apparent installation cost of my lights, as the wiring then had to be run underground from the power poles to the 40kmh signs.

"There was no actual cost involved as Energy Australia did the installations for nothing. What increased was the notional cost that the RTA is now quoting.

"Energy Australia had not objected to the lights being installed on the power poles and in fact there are numerous power poles with private floodlights on them outside car yards and other businesses. (See photo)

"The RTA later claimed that it was just part of an ongoing program to remove RTA signage from power poles. That claim was demonstrably false:

1. The only signs that were relocated were the ones that I was planning to use. They did not relocate other 40kmh signs in the SAME school zones that were also mounted on power poles. They remain in place today.

2. They did not relocate any of the 500 or so other RTA signs on power poles in the area.

3. They have mounted many new signs on power poles in Peakhurst/Lugarno and elsewhere since that date. Many are similar in size or larger than the 40kmh signs in question.

Case 1 - Lugarno Public School, Lugarno Pde (See photos)
"There were two 40kmh signs 100m apart on the approach to the school, both on power poles. The RTA relocated the first sign only, the one that I intended to use. The second sign, which they had to drive past, is still on the power pole two and a half years later. Pedestrian crossing signs in the new fluorescent yellow/green colour have also recently been added to that power pole and to another brand new pole on the other side of the pedestrian crossing.

Case 2 - Lugarno Public School, Old Forest Rd (See photo)
"There were RTA signs on four successive power poles. The RTA relocated the sign on the second pole only, namely the 40kmh sign that I intended to use. The other three signs remain on the poles today.

Case 3 - Peakhurst High School, Isaac St (See photos)
"The 40kmh sign and "End School Zone" sign were both on power poles. The RTA relocated the 40kmh sign only. The End sign is still attached to the power pole.

Case 4 - Forest Rd Lugarno (See photo)
"There were large RTA signs on four successive power poles. The RTA had to drive past them to get to the smaller 40kmh signs at Lugarno Public School. None of them were relocated and they remain in place today.

Case 5 - Bay St Rockdale / Brighton-le-Sands (See photos)
"Two large RTA signs were installed on power poles in Bay St Rockdale/Brighton in late 2008. Both are larger than any of the 40kmh signs that were relocated in 2006. They protrude from one side of the poles only which places a large twisting strain on the poles in strong wind.

2. REDUCING APPARENT RELIABILITY

"In December 2006 I reported a fault with RTA equipment that was affecting the operation of one of my signs. It took the RTA three and a half months to fix it, during which time my lights appeared to be malfunctioning.

"To be specific, the mains power to my lights goes first to an RTA-supplied earth leakage safety switch, then to an RTA-supplied transformer, then to my lights. The transformer isolates the lights from the safety switch meaning it is physically impossible for the safety switch to be tripped by a fault with the lights.

"In November 2006 the safety switch tripped off. I reset it to restore power to the lights.
"On 5 December 2006 the switch tripped again. I notified the RTA by phone.
"On 7 December 2006 the switch tripped again. I notified the RTA in writing.
"On 5 February 2007 it tripped again. I phoned the RTA traffic lights hotline and notified the RTA in writing.
"On 8 February it tripped again. I phoned the RTA traffic lights hotline and notified the RTA in writing.
"On 6 March and 8 March it tripped again. I notified the RTA in writing.
"On 11 March it tripped again. I notified the RTA in writing.
"On 14 March and 16 March it tripped again. I notified the RTA in writing.

"The RTA did not replace the faulty switch until late March 2007, three and a half months after I first reported it.

"In its recent media release the RTA claimed that back-to-base monitoring is essential because it "alerts the RTA to any problems immediately" and "is essential to ensure our children remain safe". It further stated: "We cannot install potentially unsafe, unreliable and infrequently monitored systems when it is our children we are trying to protect"

The lack of action by the RTA over the above fault showed no concern whatsoever for the welfare of children. All it did was make my lights appear unreliable.

3. INCREASING APPARENT PROBLEM RECTIFICATION TIME

"Full ownership and control of my eight sets of lights passed to the RTA on 28 February 2007.

"In March 2007, whilst on site with RTA technicians, I pointed out a broken switch on one of the signs and asked for it to be replaced. It did not affect the operation of the lights but would have prevented the controller being reset quickly in the event of a problem.

"On 13th October, seven months later, I discovered that the switch had still not been replaced.

"On 14th October the RTA acknowledged in writing that they had been advised of the problem in March but had not fixed it.

4. REDUCING VISIBILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS

"The 40kmh sign at Peakhurst West Public School on the north (left) side of Belmore Rd near Henry Lawson Drive is completely hidden by an overhanging tree.

"The attached photo shows the sign from the rear. Only cars in the left lane can cross the intersection because the right lane is Right Turn Only. The sign is completely invisible from the left lane before passing the tree. During the half-second or so that the sign is visible, drivers are looking in their right-hand mirror or over their right shoulder preparing to merge into the right-hand lane.

"The sign is also 20m from the nearest power pole, making running the power cable to the sign expensive.

"I proposed that my lights be installed on the sign on the right-hand side of the road instead, as is the case with RTA-installed flashing lights on King Georges Rd Beverly Hills, Taren Pt Rd Taren Pt, Taren Pt Rd Caringbah and elsewhere. The sign on the right is visible from half a kilometre back and is directly beside a power pole to reduce the installation cost. The RTA refused, needlessly increasing the apparent installation cost and reducing the visibility and effectiveness of my lights. Once again child safety was ignored.

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Andrew Stoner MP
NSW Leader of The Nationals
Shadow Minister for Roads & Ports
Shadow Minister for State Development

MEDIA RELEASE

LABOR’S FLASHING LIGHT FAILURE:
ROLL OUT TOO SLOW
Shadow Minister for Roads Andrew Stoner today slammed the State Labor Government for its
failure to roll out flashing lights in schools zones across NSW.
Today, private citizen Peter Olsen has installed flashing lights at Sophie Delezio’s school,
Balgowlah Heights Public School, in the absence of action from the State Government and
RTA. Mr Olsen says he has offered his technology free of charge to the State Government
and has no commercial interest in the flashing lights.
Last December Mr Olsen and Ron Delezio had met with Roads Minister Michael Daley. Mr
Olsen said Daley said that if all schools had flashing lights then drivers would become
“desensitised”. Mr Olsen also said Daley was content with lights being installed at just 4% of
school zones over four years at a cost of $116,000 per school.
“Successive Labor Roads Ministers have talked long and hard about flashing lights in school
zones, but they’ve dragged their feet on actually installing them,” Mr Stoner said.
“It shouldn’t have taken a private citizen in Peter Olsen to install flashing lights at Sophie
Delezio’s school in Balgowlah Heights,” he said.
“It’s inexcusable for Nathan Rees and Labor not to get on with this important safety measure
for our school children.
“Fewer than 5% of the 11,000 schools zones across NSW have flashing lights despite strong
evidence showing they slow drivers down.
“It’s about time the State Labor Government got fair dinkum and directed the $60 million
collected from drivers speeding in school zones into installing the flashing lights.
"Why is the State Labor Government delaying the installation of these lights? For heaven’s
sake, can Labor just get on and install them.
“Roads Minister Michael Daley also needs to explain why the State Government insists on
selecting the one of the most expensive providers of flashing light systems.
"Premier Rees and Minister Daley must understand they are dealing with the safety of our
children.
“Labor has spent three years delaying flashing lights with trials, excuses and platitudes.
Nathan Rees is showing all the decisiveness of his dithering predecessor, Morris Iemma.
“It’s time Mr Rees stopped focusing on his party’s divisions and started focusing on the issues
affecting the people of NSW and accelerated the roll out of flashing lights,” Mr Stoner said.
MEDIA: Andrew Stoner 0427 164 092 / Rod Bruce 0409 637 264

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Anything specified for use in a Government project, if it isn't over engineered or expensive it isn't considered.

When a figure of $7.4 million, the cost to fund flashing lights at 100 schools was announced Mr Peter Olsen made flashing light units of his own and mounted them at school zones.

Peter of Lurgano is a bit of a whiz with lights, as can be seen on his web site

www.schoolzonelights.com.au

This is a Olsen flashing light set working in Peakhurst.
NB. the cars's brake lights.

Drivers rang up talkback radio saying how effective the lights were, and that same day as the lights were switched on three RTA trucks and about 10 men arrived to take them down.

I asked one why they were taking the lights down,and he said that "the wiring wasn't up to Australian standards".

The next morning Peter put up a spare set of flashing lights at the Lurgano Primary School and the RTA duly arrived and so did the media.

A hapless RTA supervisor had to explain to Peter, why perfectly functioning flashing lights doing a great job of slowing down traffic outside a primary school had to be taken down.

The surpervisor's reasons didn't impress Peter or 2GB's Alan Jones and after an on air interview with the then roads minister Mr Roozendaal, four schools in the Lurgano/Peakhurst area have had their pupils protected by Peter's flawlessly working flashing lights for over 2 years and three months.
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School zone warning lights rollout 'too slow'
BY MERRYN PORTER
12/06/2008 9:53:00 AM

TWO years after the RTA began a trial of flashing lights in school zones, only 18 schools in St George and Sutherland Shire have benefited from the technology.
While the RTA says flashing lights will be installed at five more locations in the area by the end of the month, road safety campaigners say it is taking too long to roll out the technology designed to reduce speeding in school zones and save lives. Flashing success: Peter Olsen outside Peakhurst Public School, where his flashing light technology has been operating.

Flashing success: Peter Olsen outside Peakhurst Public School, where his flashing light technology has been operating.

Picture: Jane Dyson.

Flashing lights will be added to school zone signage on The Boulevarde and Captain Cook Drive at Caringbah in a bid to slow traffic outside Miranda North Public School, Endeavour Sports High School, and Caringbah High School.

Lights will also be installed along sections of Rocky Point Road and President Avenue at Kogarah to alert motorists to school zones when passing Moorefield Girls' High School and James Cook Boys' Technology High School.

The schools are among 35 in NSW to benefit from the RTA's latest round of flashing light installations. Lights will be installed at 50 more spots by the end of the year, although a list of those schools is not yet available.

In all, 400 sets of flashing lights will be installed over four years. That is on top of the 100 installed as part of a trial that began in 2006.

The lights are being paid for using revenue from fixed speed cameras erected in school zones since late last year.

An RTA spokeswoman said flashing lights had so far been installed at 116 locations, 18 of which are in St George and Sutherland Shire.

"The $46.5 million school zone warning system program is an important feature of the RTA's school road safety program,'' she said.

"Another 100 sites will be installed each year in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

"These sites will be selected on an ongoing basis by the RTA to maximise road safety in school zones that need it the most.''

The Leader learned of plans for the latest round of flashing light installations as it was revealed that 95 per cent of speeding fines are incurred at fixed speed cameras in only 1 per cent of school zones.

Of the 125,000 fines issued for speeding in school zones in the second half of last year, 118,000 were for offences that occurred at less than 40 locations.

St George road safety campaigner Peter Olsen said this proved claims by government officials that the speed cameras reduced the road toll were nonsense.

"Ninety-five per cent of the fines came from just one per cent of school zones,'' he said.

"Safety at the 10,000 other school zones remains unchanged.''

Mr Olsen said that based on the Government's timetable of installing lights at 100 locations a year, it would take 110 years to fit out the state's 11,000 school zones.

This bit was in my delivered Leader but left out of the Leader's web page, where I got the above.

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