ADT directed to ensure traffic safety around schools

Austin Gatt, as the minister responsible for roads, has directed the Malta Transport Authority to draw up policy guidelines and procedures to ensure the highest safety standards on roads adjacent to schools.

He also directed the ADT to take immediate action over a complaint made by the Malta Union of Teachers about danger facing Zurrieq schoolchildren because the road in front of the school is not being closed to traffic.

In a letter to the authority's CEO, Dr Gatt wrote:

"The Malta Union of Teachers yesterday expressed concern that children aged between three and eight years who attend the primary school A in Zurrieq are in danger each time they are entering or leaving school.

"In my view it is imperative that we look into the reasons for this situation and resolve it forthwith.

"You will agree that it is the responsibility of the ADT to ensure that policies and procedures are in place to ensure safety on the roads at all times. This is even more the case when a present danger exists for the safety of the children.

"As the MUT rightly remarks, it would be a negligence of our public duty to wait for an accident before we take appropriate action. Although the ADT is not the only entity responsible for policing safety on the roads, it is my conviction that the present situation demands the authority's initiative and leadership to achieve a swift and effective solution.

"You are therefore directed to:

1. Immediately conduct a detailed investigation into the matter raised by the MUT and share your findings with the school administration, the local council and the MUT;

2. Coordinate all relevant entities to take any action necessary so that the safety of the pupils of the Zurrieq primary school is ensured at all times;

3. Draw up and publish within the next six weeks, clear policy guidelines and procedures for the authority itself as well as school administrators, transport operators, the police, local councils and motorists, to ensure the highest safety standards of roads adjacent to schools, particularly during opening and closing times."

Comments

Ramon Casha (on 12/4/08)

Why in beep's name do we build schools right on a main road for convenience, only to then close the road off for safety?!

If we're concerned about safety, we should start giving schools their own private roads, so that students will be able to get from the mini buses to the schools and vice-versa without any other traffic passing by.

Vincent Anthony Pace (on 12/4/08)

About time Dr. Gatt pushes ADT. We tried to have some problems looked into about the Kappara schools, and we don't even get a reply from the head of ADT.

Franco Farrugia (on 11/4/08)

It is hoped that by 'schools' we also mean private and Church schools since these schools, too, cater for the sons and daughters of taxpayers! Point made, I hope.

Ivan Scicluna (on 11/4/08)

While I fully agree with traffic safety around schools, one should also keep the residents' situation in mind and cater for their needs too.

A case in point is near the Rabat primary near Kanonku G. Gatt Said Street. The streets leading in and out of the vicinity are closed to normal traffic during school times. The irony of this all is that while coaches and busses drive right up to the school gate, residents like myself are blocked from driving away or to our homes. Had there been an laternative route we would gladly use that, but the only way out is from a street adjacent to the school.