First school speed zones for North Shore City

December 11, 2006

North Shore City Council has installed the city’s first school speed zones to make streets safer for school children, especially those who walk and cycle to school.

Target Road School and Pinehill School are the first two schools in the city to have the speed zones installed.

“Streets around the school entrances will have electronic signs showing a temporary 40kph speed limit each weekday morning and afternoon,” North Shore City’s transport development manager, Kit O’Halloran, says.

“The signs will operate for about half an hour at times when children are arriving at and leaving school. At other times, the speed limit will revert to normal.”

Mr O’Halloran says there has been strong public support for the school speed zones, and the council plans to introduce them to more schools next year.

“The zones are just one of a number of ways we are working to make school travel safer,” he says.

“Under the TravelWise programme - a partnership with ARTA (Auckland Regional Transport Authority) and school communities - schools across the North Shore are being asked to identify improvements to help make school travel safer.

“We are installing pedestrian crossings, no stopping zones and new footpaths, among other measures, to help get our kids safely to school.

“At the same time, we are working with schools to encourage children to walk and cycle to school rather than be driven, which means fewer cars on the road and less chaos at the school gate.”

The school speed zones will begin operating this week.

ENDS

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