MEDIA RELEASE
13 December 2008
ROADS MINISTER REJECTS FLASHING LIGHTS AT ALL SCHOOLS
The Minister for Roads, Michael Daley, has rejected the idea of school zone flashing lights being installed at all schools.
The Minister met with Peter Olsen at Peakhurst on Thursday 11th December to inspect Mr Olsen's low-budget flashing lights, that have been operating with 100% reliability for the past 2 years. Ron Delezio of the Day of Difference Foundation and Harold Scruby of the Pedestrian Council were also in attendance.
When Mr Olsen told the Roads Minister that his goal was to have flashing lights installed at all school zones in NSW, the Minister said that he did not support the idea. "If there were flashing lights in all school zones, drivers could become desensitized to them," he said. The Minister repeated the statement in a radio interview with Luke Bona on 2GB on Friday 12th December.
Mr Olsen rejected the suggestion. "Will the same logic be used to ban the installation of any further traffic lights?" he asked.
Mr Olsen also criticised the technology being used by the RTA.
"The RTA spent 3 years and $7.2M trialling different types of lights. The final report found that two simple flashing lights, like mine, reduced traffic speeds by 50% more than the next most effective type. The RTA has ignored the findings of its own report and is rolling out the less effective and far more expensive type," he said.
Mr Olsen has vowed to continue the fight to have flashing lights installed in all school zones.
"I was recently retrenched from my job of 31 years so I now have a lot of spare time to devote to the project.
"There are 11,000 school zones in NSW. The current government has only committed to installing flashing lights at 526 of them.
"The State Opposition has a policy of installing flashing lights at all schools. It is starting to look as though a change of Government may be the only way to achieve the desired result," he said.
For more information contact:
Peter Olsen
13/55 The Grand Pde
Brighton-le-Sands 2216
0414-538-404
9599-1811 ah