MEDIA RELEASE
19 May 2006
"Lugarno Lights" Man Turns to School Zone Flashing Lights
Not content with having raised $380,000 for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, Peter Olsen, the man behind the "Lugarno Lights" Christmas Lights display has turned his attention to another issue that also involves lights and children, namely School Zone Flashing Lights.
Earlier this year he heard a comment on talkback radio to the effect that the government was dragging the chain on installing school zone flashing lights because they supposedly cost $24,000 per school. He phoned in and said that he thought it should be possible to install the lights for a few hundred dollars each, rather than the $24,000 claimed.
"After all," he said, "If I can make Santa and his sleigh fly all the way up Maple St by remote control, or build a fairy light sign that counts down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until Christmas, for a few hundred dollars each, then surely it should be possible to make a couple of lights outside a school flash for three hours per day for a similar amount."
Having set his mind to it, and spurred on by recent publicity involving Sophie Delezio and several other school children, he has proved that it can be done. He has developed a system costing under $250 per sign, including installation.
"The on-going operating cost is a bit of a concern though", Mr Olsen quipped. "The electricity to run each sign will cost about 30c per year and the LED-based lights only have a life expectancy of 270 years!
"I would have had a demonstration up and running long ago," he said, "But there has been a delay in importing the LED lamps that I will be using and they are still a couple of weeks away. I now expect to demonstrate the system in early June."
Mr Olsen initially went through the "correct" channels. He contacted the RTA and asked for the official specification for the lights. Upon receiving it, however, he realised why the claimed cost of them is so high.
"Reading the specification you would think it was for the landing lights on the Space Shuttle," he said, "And they told me that was just for the trial. The final version is going to be even more stringent.
"The RTA wants a Rolls Royce whereas schools, parents and drivers just want some simple flashing lights to warn cars to slow down. That is what I plan to deliver. Using my design fifty sets of lights can be installed for the cost of one of the RTA's and they will be just as effective.
"According to the RTA there are 11,000 school zones in NSW. Multiply that by $24,000 and the total comes to $264M. That is why the RTA has said it will not be installing the lights at all schools. The Government could save a lot more lives by spending that sort of money on improving roads or hospitals.
"If a simple solution is adopted it needn't cost the government or taxpayers a cent because each school can organise and pay for the lights itself. That way the lights can be installed at every school in NSW rather than just at a select few.
"I have no commercial interest in the project and do not want to earn a cent from it. Following the demonstration I will provide full details at no charge to any school that is interested.
"The Government is talking about using a big stick to enforce compliance, but is doing nothing to assist law-abiding drivers. In busy traffic drivers are fully occupied just watching the traffic around them without having to also keep an eye on their watches. Installing flashing lights at every school would help those drivers obey the law.
For more information contact:
Peter Olsen
peter.olsen@eds.com
9012-5298 BH
9153-8404 AH
0414-538-404