A puffin crossing is a pedestrian crossing with traffic lights, which go green for vehicles only when no more pedestrians are detected on the crossing by infrared detectors and mats.
The Spreydon-Cashmere Community Board approved the installation of a $300,000 puffin crossing outside Hillview Christian School on Wilsons Rd to keep pupils safe when crossing between the school’s two campuses.
Hillview Christian School principal Steve Frost said more than 100 pupils use the crossing throughout the day. He said the crossing patrol operates before and after school, but pupils have to cross the road themselves between these times.
Mr Frost said the only protection available to pupils is a traffic island and there have been near misses in the past.
“There have been recorded instances where there have been near misses. I don’t think anyone’s been hit in my time here, but . . . we’ve even had the big lollipops that go out, even they have been hit at times with drivers not driving responsibly.
“I do not want a fatality to be the reason that we then put in a puffin crossing . . . I want to get in first and do it now.
“We’ve had speed cameras that have been in place from community constables and they reported back that the speed has increased quite significantly down Wilsons Rd, which has made it much more dangerous.”
Spreydon-Cashmere Community Board chairwoman Karolin Potter admitted $300,000 was expensive but said a puffin crossing is the best option for ensuring pupil’s safety.
She said a pedestrian crossing on its own would not be safe.
“Pedestrian crossings kill 11 times more people than any other part of the road . . . kids, they’ll run to a pedestrian crossing and storm out on it.
“Kids’ lives especially just come first, there’s no question of it.”
However, Ms Potter said given the $300,000 price tag, she feels Hillview Christian should contribute towards this cost.
“I would have liked to have seen the school contribute to the funding because that school was founded on a site and then chose to expand over the road. . . the kids are crossing all day, back and forth.”
Mr Frost said he had not been asked yet if the school would be putting money towards the crossing and in spite of not being able to say with certainty whether this would happen, this was not off the table.
Whether or the school helped with the cost, Ms Potter said she is pleased the puffin crossing is going ahead and hopes it will be installed at about Christmas time.
