Police Minister Joe Szakacs said a “new and improved” Road Safety Centre will be built at the West Beach Parks precinct on Military Road next year, on land owned by the government’s West Beach Trust.

Plans show a mock roadway with traffic lights and pedestrian crossings along with conference and training rooms to be sited alongside West Beach mini golf, and near a holiday park and Mega Climb ropes.

The new plan follows the government saying the Road Safety Centre’s mock roadway in Bonython Park would be retained but its administrative buildings demolished as the heritage-listed Thebarton Barracks is razed for the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Szakacs said construction costs were not finalised as the plan was now going out to tender, but the funded new centre was expected to cost less than $4 million and to begin operating mid next year, teaching around 15,000 students a year.

It’s the second time the centre will be moved to make way for a hospital.

A new $3.5 million children’s Road Safety Centre officially opened at the Thebarton Police Barracks in February 2013 when its first iteration was closed to make way for the new Royal Adelaide Hospital on North Terrace.

The government said at the time the centre had instructed more than 500,000 South Australians over the previous 50 years.

Szakacs said the centre was still important and a spokesperson confirmed that all staff would be retained after the latest move.

“You only have to look at the number of lives lost on SA roads this year to appreciate the significance of raising road safety awareness, knowledge and skills through lifelong learning,” Szakacs said.

“The new Road Safety Centre will play an important role in reducing road trauma.

“The West Beach facility will further teach children the appropriate way to cross busy roads, use footpaths, be aware of surroundings and how to safely cycle on the road.”

Designs for the new road safety centre. Photo: supplied

The centre teaches road safety education sessions to schools, businesses and community groups.

SA Police acting commissioner Linda Williams said the centre would support children aged between four and 13 years of age to learn about road safety and provide education on road rules, pedestrian and cycle safety in a safe environment.

She said the current centre in the city engaged with more than 95,000 community members during the 2022-2023 financial year, conducted over 1,050 road safety sessions, and more than 10,000 pre and primary school students.

Other programs, including Safer Journeys Together, Obtaining Your Motorcycle Licence, School Holiday Program, and Young Offender sessions also utilise the centre.

Schools and other groups have booked the Road Safety Centre services for next year.

New site for the Road Safety Centre shifting from the Thebarton Police Barracks. Photo: supplied

The State Government has needed to find new sites for 15 police business units currently located at the Thebarton barracks. This includes the police horses and dogs moving to a new $90 million facility in Gepps Cross after a lengthy and controversial government land search.