Campbelltown Sunday, 31 May 2026

CALLS FOR BARDIA PEDESTRAN CROSSING

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Updated 31 May 2026

Council mute over busy road safety concerns
TONY BOSWORTH
FAMILIES at a Bardia childcare centre say they are still being left to cross a busy road without proper pedestrian safety measures of any kind, despite repeated approaches to both Campbelltown City Council (CCC) and the NSW Government over almost two years.

The issue centres on busy Bardia Avenue outside Futuro Childcare & Education Bardia day care centre, where parents and young children regularly cross the increasingly busy road without the aid of a pedestrian crossing.

The centre caters for over 120 pre-schoolers every day.

Futuro first contacted CCC about the issue back in September 2024 when the Council acknowledged the safety concern, installing CCTV monitoring at the site for a week in November that year to assess traffic volumes, pedestrian movements and overall safety conditions.

In early 2025, the Council advised that officers had completed site reviews and CCTV investigations and concluded that a pedestrian crossing at the location was both “feasible and beneficial”.

But the centre and families were also informed the project would depend on further planning, stakeholder consultation, funding and resource allocation. The Council indicated it would need to seek assistance through State Government road safety grants in partnership with Transport for NSW.

With no firm commitment or timeframe, the issue was escalated to the NSW Government in June 2025, supported by correspondence and a petition signed by local families.

The issue was eventually referred to the State Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison.

Despite further follow-up in August and September 2025, Futuro’s Chief Operating Officer Megan Black said no substantive response was initially received.

A later written response from Minister Aitchison’s office confirmed Bardia Avenue remained a local road under council management and that pedestrian safety infrastructure at the site was ultimately a council responsibility.

The response again referred to existing funding programs available to councils, but did not provide any commitment or delivery timeline.

Ms Black said families were frustrated that responsibility appeared to be shifting between different levels of government while the safety issue remained unresolved.

“In practical terms, where things currently sit is this - Council has indicated that a pedestrian crossing is warranted and beneficial, but says delivery is dependent on funding and further project planning,” Ms Black said.

“The State response has largely referred the matter back to Council and existing funding programs.

“In the meantime, families and young children continue to navigate the [Bardia Avenue] crossing daily, and we have not received any clear advice as to when, or if, a crossing will actually be delivered.”

Ms Black said the ongoing uncertainty was the core concern for parents and carers using the centre each day.

“That is really the heart of the issue for us,” she said.

“The safety concern has been recognised, but there has still been no meaningful outcome.”

Traffic volumes on the already very busy Bardia Avenue continue to increase as surrounding residential development expands.

Day care families, alongside Futuro, are urging both CCC and the State Government to work together to provide a funded pathway and clear timeframe for the installation of a pedestrian crossing before an accident occurs.

We put detailed questions to Campbelltown City Council but by the time of publishing we had not received a response.