With the end of the first week of Term upon us, we thought it would be a timely reminder to reiterate student safety regarding the use of bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters.
Please remind your children of the road rules, especially relating to e-scooters and e-bikes.
Walking/Riding to School
- Please remind your children to be vigilant when walking/riding to and from school and around the area, and to be aware of their surroundings and those around them.
- St Mark’s encourages students to walk or ride to school where possible, and we stress the importance of using the roads safely. Helmets must be worn when riding to and from school, as required by law.
- Remind students to take note of the traffic around them, and be aware of other road users, including cars and pedestrians. Be respectful to other road users.
- The road via Gate 3 next to the ELC is for vehicles only. There is no pedestrian access. For safety reasons, pedestrians should use the smaller gate directly opposite the roundabout intersection with Banks Avenue.
- Be aware that, even if a cyclist rings their bell, pedestrians may not immediately recognise it as a warning of an approaching bicycle. As such, when pedestrians are on a shared pathway, cyclists should slow down and give the pedestrian time to move to safety.
- Students are to dismount and push their bicycles at crosswalks.
- Students are not to ride their bicycles on the School grounds - they must dismount.
- Primary School students should park their bikes next to the multi-purpose court near the Primary Oval. Middle and Senior School students should park their bikes in the bike racks behind the Dunsborough buildings.
Manned Crossings
There are manned crosswalks at a number of locations. Traffic Wardens appointed by the Children’s Crossing Unit of the WA Police are located on Whitfords Avenue (Belrose Entrance), Endeavour Road (Banks Avenue), Whitfords Avenue, and on Cook Ave.
In addition, we have a School Traffic Warden located at the Kiss ‘n Drive points outside the Performing Arts Complex. Please follow the instructions of the wardens to help keep our children safe.
E-Bikes and E-Scooters
The below information is taken from the Department of Transport's website and we expect our students/staff/families to adhere to the rules as per below:
The maximum speed for ERDs on bike and shared paths and local roads has been set at 25km/h, which is consistent with regulations in Queensland, the ACT and New Zealand, and is the same speed at which the power output on electric bikes cuts out.
The speed limit on footpaths and in pedestrian areas, however, is much lower at 10km/h reflecting the speed differential between different path user groups.
Riders are required to give way to pedestrians and keep to the left of oncoming bicycle riders or other ERD users. They are not permitted to travel on a separated footpath designated for the use of pedestrians.
Other new rules for ERDs and their users include:
- Riders of higher-powered electric rideable devices must be at least 16 years of age;
- Riders must wear an approved helmet, use lights and reflectors at night and have a working warning device; and
- The same mobile phone and drink and drug driving rules apply as for motor vehicle drivers.
Under existing Western Australian rules, children under the age of 16 years are permitted to use motorised scooters that have a maximum power output of 200w and a maximum speed of 10 km/h.
Please see the WA Government for further rules around E-Ride-ons.
