By Brendan Rees
Fed-up parents of a Clyde North primary school say are allowing more than an hour during pick up and drop off times.
Parents say the school run at Wilandra Rise Primary School had become a “nightmare” after nearby roads been blocked off due to a new estate being developed.
When Star News visited the site, drivers battled in the traffic-choked gridlock along Haflinger Avenue and Aayana Street – with a supervisor also out directing cars.
But Casey Council says it is confident upgrades to connecting roads would start by the end of this year.
Parent Belinda said she had to be at the school “super early” to get a park which was still not guaranteed.“There’s people beeping each other and parking illegally,” she said.
“It’s dangerous … people have to drop their kids off and they’re jumping out of cars,” Belinda said, who asked not to reveal her surname.
Christy Gonzalez said the biggest problem facing parents was there was no exit with cars doing “U-turns in front of you.”
“They just line up to collect their kids done the other end in the two minute drop-off,” she said.
“There’s no other way to get out … you can see the dirt pile where they drive up on the speed hump and are up on the grass,” she added.
“Council fine them but they don’t care … it’s crazy.
“I generally come an hour to an hour-and-half earlier,” Ms Gonzalez said.
Another parent, Waruna Kariyawasam said he got to the school at 2.30pm to avoid the chaos.
When he did find a park, he said he usually worked in his car.
“It’s very inconvenient. If I miss the 2.30 window I won’t get a park,” he said.
Felicty Devine, who is a before and after school care worker, said: “We’re finding it’s a nightmare for us”.
“In the afternoon you find you have to leave an hour early just to be able to get here and get a car spot,” she said.
Casey manager city and asset planning Keri New said the site had been blocked off for subdivision by the developer and Brookford Estate, the parcel of land next to the school.
Ms New said upgrades planned for nearby roads would improve traffic flow and the parking situation.
“We understand the developer plans on starting work on these road updates before the end of this year,” she said.
“We are unable to influence or speed up the construction timelines as we are not the developer of the site.
“We do empathise with families frustrated with the current situation. Parking restrictions are in place to maintain safety around the school,” Ms New said.
