A SCHOOL zone is now operational outside the gates of All Saints' College on the Eglinton Road.
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The school zone, which was due to be completed by the end of July, was finished ahead of schedule and started operating last week .
It was installed for the safety of students coming in and out of the school grounds as well as students who use a near by bus stop.
A spokesperson for the Roads and Maritime Services said the school zone was installed after it undertook pedestrian monitoring on Eglinton Road following consultation with the school and council.
The spokesperson said it was determined a 40km/h school zone should be implemented to improve safety for students at the school.
Up until last week All Saints’ College was the only school in the city that did not have a 40km/h school zone as it had been determined that pedestrian movements – along with bus and parent pick-ups – were occurring within the school grounds and not on Eglinton Road.
However with a bus stop outside the school grounds used on a daily basis by students from a number of schools, the situation had to be revised.
Head of college Stephen O'Connor welcomed the installation of the 40km/h school zone saying it improves the safety of students, parents and the community in general who are using the road.
"The former head of college [Dr Peter Miller] lobbied for some time to have the RMS consider a school zone in the area, and the process started well before I arrived," he said.
"But I'm very happy to see it operational. Eglinton Road is extremely busy, especially with all the residential development that has occurred [in the area].
"I lived in Bathurst 20 years ago and the traffic on the Eglinton Road now is nothing like it used to be in the context of the number of cars using the road."
While happy the school zone is now operational, Mr O'Connor said he was still concerned about potential accidents given the number of cars coming in and out of the school gates.
Long queues form inside the school grounds during the morning and afternoon peaks as parents leaving the school find it difficult to turn right onto Eglinton Road.
Mr O’Connor said he was raising the issue with Bathurst Regional Council in the hope of addressing it in the near future.