School parents gather 200 signatures in three days
Umina Beach Public School Parents' and Citizens' Association has gathered more than 200 signatures for a petition in three days.
The petition for a better pedestrian crossing on Mt Ettalong Rd at Etta Rd, Umina, which started 10 months ago, had 850 signatures on Wednesday, May 12.
By the weekend, it had more than 1050 signatures.
"Please sign for improved pedestrian safety on Mt Ettalong Rd," said association president Ms Lucy Lamont.
"We want students and families to be able to walk to school safely."
The petition states: "This crossing is the main pedestrian access point to Umina Beach, Recreation Precinct and Umina Beach Public School for Umina South residents.
"We love the Precinct and beach area and want to use it regularly, but the crossing is scary.
"We want to be an active and connected community.
"Our preference is to walk where we can, but we need footpaths and road crossings that allow us to do that safely.
"We want to encourage our children to be independent.
"To do this we need to feel confident that they can walk or ride safely to school and access the Precinct and beach by themselves.
"We want the crossing to be safer so there are not multiple people with dogs, prams, bikes and kids waiting on the island with cars driving past on either side at 60km/h.
"We want the crossing to be more visual, particularly on the west side of Mt Ettalong Rd, so cars can see there are pedestrians waiting to cross the road.
"We want the footpath extended on the west side of Etta Rd so that we are not forced to walk on the road."
The petition is to be submitted to Central Coast Council.
SOURCE:
Social media, 13 May 2021
Lucy Lamont, UBPS P and C