Rockingham school zone abuse 'not normal'

A concerned group of parents say they are witnessing traffic wardens receive abuse from aggressive motorists as they help children from Secret Harbour Primary School cross Warnbro Sound Avenue.

Peta Kell walks from her nearby home to the school each day with her three young children and said she observed angry drivers scream at the lollipop ladies.

"The abuse that is thrown has been continuous and I have been walking this way for three years now," she said.

"They yell from their cars and make obscene gestures.

"Cars often speed up and drive past before the ladies are safely on the footpath and I have witnessed them running from oncoming traffic.

"The speed is excessive - people rarely do 40km/h before and after school when they are supposed to."

Ms Kell also questioned the layout of the intersection of Warnbro Sound Avenue and Manatea Parade on which the school is located.

"In the morning, people are rushing to drop their kids off and get to work on time," she said.

"They take the left-hand turn onto Warnbro Sound Avenue but only look for traffic oncoming from the right and it's a giveway sign, so they don't stop.

"They don't look to the left, which is where the kids are crossing the road.

"The intersection needs a stop sign to slow the busy morning traffic."

The matter was presented to Warnbro MLA Paul Papalia who was shocked to hear of the extent of the abuse.

"This behaviour is not normal and unacceptable," he said.

"I discussed the matter with a number of members in parliament and not one of them had heard of traffic wardens receiving abuse.

"I will be writing to the responsible ministers, asking to ensure better policing and suggestions to help change this behaviour.

"These people are setting a terrible example for children and abusing people who are just doing their jobs and keeping pedestrians safe."