Flashing lights at school zones across NSW will fail unless the NSW Government urgently commits $13 million a year in maintenance funding, damning documents obtained by the NSW Labor Opposition reveal.

A third of all school flashing lights around NSW schools will reach the end of life before 2023 and 44% of 40 km/hr school zone markings on roads across the State already require urgent maintenance.

In many regions, including the Hunter, Greater Sydney Region and Western NSW, more school zones require maintenance than not, with critical 40km/hr school zone markings reaching their end of life by 2023.

The data comes as schools across NSW mark National Walk Safely to School Day, encouraging students and families to walk or ride to school.

Jo Haylen, Shadow Minister for Active Transport, said “The Premier is telling families to walk or ride to school, but her Government is not stumping up the cash to keep the lights flashing in 40km school zones or to repaint the road markings to keep our kids safe.

“Parents want their kids to walk or ride to school but won’t make that choice unless it is safe. We can’t let flashing lights and road markings fail.

“The Government must commit to improving safety and creating local jobs by properly maintaining this vital infrastructure.”

Crash studies show that the most dangerous time to be on our roads is the afternoon at school pick up and road trauma remains the number one killer of kids under the age of 14.

Transport officials warned the Berejiklian Government in secret internal advice immediately after the 2019 election, of a nearly $11.5 billion roads funding black hole including key election commitments that will not be delivered and a road maintenance backlog.