Looking for a safer approach to deal with Bulli, Thirroul traffic

The Safe Streets to School group has lodged a submission opposing proposals released by Transport for NSW to extend the times clearways will operate through Bulli and Thirroul CBDs, and also introducing them on Saturdays.

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The proposal forms part of a plan to deal with increasing congestion through those suburbs.

The Safe Streets for Schools submission to Transport for NSW saw a risk in extending clearway times.

"Many children walk or ride along these streets before and after school," the submission stated.

"We believe your proposed clearway will take away parked cars that function as traffic calming and a safety barrier.

"Increasing actual speeds next to the footpaths is increasing the risk of fatal crashes with vulnerable road users and might result in some parents taking away their children's license to walk or cycle to school."

In the submission, the group called for more crossings, footpaths or lower speed limits within two kilometres of schools.

"The traffic congestion is best to be addressed with less people driving through these areas especially at peak times," the group's submission to Transport for NSW stated.

"More walking and cycling to school is an obvious part of the solution."

It identified plans to remove street parking along Park Road at Bulli as a concern - something which is shared by businesses in the area.

"Many people cross Park Road at the intersection of Railway Street - 50km/h traffic and low visibility due to the hill means that kids (and elderly persons visiting the doctor) can't easily cross," it stated.

"Removing parked cars without reducing speed limits and/or installing crossings is going to make the situation even worse as speeds are most likely going to increase.

"It is important to address the need to make it possible to easily cross Park Road."

The submission also called for some areas of these suburbs - such as Surfer Parade at Thirroul - to have the speed limit cut to 30km/h.

This would help in linking suburban streets to the coastal shared path, which the group's submission said was "brilliant".

"Given the neighbourhoods have no crossings and often no footpaths this would make walking and cycling immediately safer and could help to fight congestion as more children would be likely to get a license to walk or cycle to school or to the train station," it stated.

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