Upcoming safety upgrades for several school zones in Orange and Cabonne

One of the schools to make the list, Bowen Public School's principal, Marianne Pankhurst says the school is eager to kick-off with a few projects, making improvements to pedestrian crossings and car spaces on Park Street for those with a disability.

Some kerbs will also be wiped out completely, making access easier for those who are less mobile.

"At Bowen [Public School], the disabled parking spaces currently do not have wheelchair access between the road and footpath," she said, "and we have been concerned for students and community members in wheelchairs who [have to] travel along the road to the driveway kerb ramp to access the footpath."

"As part of our scope of work, disabled parking will be upgraded and a gutter bridge will replace the kerb and guttering and the area between the gutter bridge and footpath will be infilled with concrete, ensuring safe wheelchair access between the road and footpath.

"It is pleasing to see investments in the Orange area that support the safety of school communities [which is] of upmost importance to all at Bowen Public School."

Over at Orange Anglican Grammar School, principal Louis Stringer says the project also provides "encouraging" indications, nurturing healthy alliances for regional growth.

"Mr Farraway's personal visit, response on behalf of the government initiative and our local council putting plans into concrete action, are encouraging signs of community and authorities working together with foresight in unity to provide for the growing needs of Orange," Mr Stringer said.

"[The Minister] was also keen to further consider safe passage across the Northern Distributor intersection, [located] between the new childcare facility and the rural fire station on Molong Road."

For the interim, a brand new pathway has been approved for OAGS, which will improve safety and access near the perimeter running along the Mitchell Highway.

"All being well, this year will see the completion of the safe pedestrianisation of the western side of Molong Road up to Murphy Lane," Mr Stringer said, "providing our school students and community users safe passage to our school, surrounding residential areas and the commercial enterprise of the The Agrestic Grocer."

For the Orange area, the seven following schools and each of the projects will include:

For the Cabonne Shire, the three schools and its projects will include:

Under the Australian government's $3 billion dollar Road Safety Program, projects in metropolitan areas will have costs covered on a 50/50 basis, while regional projects will be split 80/20 - tallying a $40.8 million dollar program to minimise student harm while commuting in those zones.

"Every child in New South Wales has the right to get to and from school safely," Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Sam Farraway said.

"These schools will benefit from safety treatments such as installation of pedestrian fencing in front of bus stops and widening of footpaths."

The Orange-based school zones will receive over $770,000 from the program, while the three Cabonne schools will claim around $167,000.

"We have worked with the local councils to identify a list of suitable projects to deliver the greatest safety benefit across regional NSW and the [state] government is committed to helping to improve safety around our schools," Mr Farraway said.

"The projects across Orange will create safer pedestrian connections for children, their parents and carers, and the school community."

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