Liam McNally
The Atherstone Traffic School will remain a public space permanently, following council’s struggle to find a facilitator to run the space.
Melton council decided to develop the Atherstone Traffic School in 2017, which developer LendLease finished building in 2022.
Located next to Bridge Road Children’s and Community Centre, the facility is designed to provide a space to develop important road safety skills and gain confidence on bicycles, tricycles and scooters and includes a variety of intersections and signage to mimic the features of a real traffic experience within a more controlled environment.
The management and operation of the Traffic School was supposed to be outsourced to an external provider that specialises in Traffic School Education.
Council officers initiated the tender process, however there were no submissions received for the tender that was advertised between May and June 2023.
Organisations that had originally expressed interest, but not applied for the $10,000 annual lease had concerns around the layout of the site, the lack of indoor areas and concern about the viability of a traffic school in the western suburbs “where the ability to ride bicycles varies due to a range of barriers”.
At the most recent Melton council meeting, it was decided that council will no longer look for an external operator for the traffic school.
Instead, the Traffic School will remain a public open space for free community use.
Councillor Ashleigh Vandenberg said the decision welcomed the decision.
“This is absolutely fantastic,” she said.
“Atherstone Traffic EducationSchool is a wonderful space for children to learn road safety schools and to have a space in which they can have fun and be kids.”
It’s anticipated that the Atherstone Traffic School will cost council between $20,000 and $50,000 annually to continue running.
