Senior Sergeant Duane Frank, Taabinga State School principal Susan Beatty and Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington with local lollipop lady Sandra Weber (Photo: Nanango Electorate Office)

February 28, 2014

There’s still no word on when flashing lights will be installed in the school zone on the D’Aguilar Highway outside Taabinga State School in Kingaroy although it has been identified as a priority.

Last month, Kingaroy Police Officer-in-Charge Senior Sergeant Duane Frank said police were having trouble with drivers obeying the speed limit outside the school.

He said many did not expect to find a school zone on a major highway but the level of traffic made it critical that drivers slow down.

Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington said today she was hoping flashing school zone lights at Taabinga State School – which she identified as a high-risk zone during the election campaign – would be on the State Government’s road safety program list soon.

But she said more than $1.56 million was being spent on other road safety projects in the South Burnett.

“The projects have been chosen by our Government’s Safer Roads Sooner Advisory Committee and align with our election promise to deliver better infrastructure, better planning and provide cost-effective solutions to make our roads safer,” Mrs Frecklington said.

The projects include:

  • $500,000 for traffic signals on the D’Aguilar Highway in Nanango at the intersection with the Drayton/Henry streets
  • $500,000 for traffic signals at the intersection of Markwell Street and Kingaroy Street in Kingaroy
  • $410,000 for warning signs on D’Aguilar Highway
  • $151,000 for clearing and signage works on Kingaroy–Cooyar Road at Tarong

“These works are due for completion by the end of this year and are among 60 action items this government is delivering to improve safety on our roads and drive down the road toll,” Mrs Frecklington said.

She said the funding was part of a $350 million state-wide initiative known as the “Road Safety Action Plan” which allocated money to address black spots on Queensland’s road network.

The Road Safety Action Plan also includes other priorities such as $2 million a year for a community road safety fund, on-going roll out of flashing lights at more than 300 schools, safety advertising and licence reforms.