Changes to school speed zones

School speed zones in Cairns will be modified from Monday 2 March.

The changes, which have been approved by the Department of Transport and Main Roads, will see a reduction of times to the 40km/h speed zones at all schools in Cairns Local Government Area.

All schools – with exception of Our Lady Help of Christians School, Cairns West State School and Parramatta State School – will have a designated 1.5 hour speed zone in the morning (7.30am to 9am) and a one hour zone in the afternoon (2.30pm to 3.30pm).

At Our Lady Help of Christians School, Cairns West State School and Parramatta State School, the 40km/h school speed zones will be for 1.5 hours in the morning (7.30am to 9am) and afternoon (2pm-3.30pm).

The changes come following a resolution at the 23 October 2019 Ordinary meeting, for Council to consult with all schools about a proposed reduction of the exiting two-hour morning (7am to 9am) and afternoon (2pm to 4pm) 40km/h school zone times.

Council wrote to 42 schools proposing revised school speed zone times, with responses received from 23 schools.

Seven schools objected to the proposed changes. Concerns raised by four of those schools were resolved; with alternative afternoon speed zones applied to the remaining three schools to address safety concerns.