New 40km safety zones to make roads safer for pupils

As pupils and families settle back into the school routine, new 40km/hour safety zones will be operating outside four Hutt City schools.

The new safety zones are on:

Kings Crescent, Lower Hutt, for Eastern Hutt School;
Wellington Road, Wainuiomata, for Arakura School;
Eastern Hutt Road, Taita, for Taita College; and
Parkway, Wainuiomata, for Wainuiomata High School and Intermediate, and Konini Primary.

Hutt City’s first safety zone commenced operating outside Randwick School in February 2011, and was the first in the Wellington region.

The 40km/h flashing displays alert drivers to the part-time speed restrictions for 35 minutes before the schools start in the mornings and for 20 minutes after they close.

Council’s road safety coordinator Jan Simmons says the safety zones are designed to improve safety for children going to and from school.

“Reducing the speed limit will help avoid and reduce the severity of crashes and make it easier for school road patrols to do their job, while the signs will prompt motorists to watch out for children crossing the road.

Meanwhile, for the first two weeks of the term police are supporting road patrols with morning and afternoon school visits, and during the year will be stringently enforcing speed limits around schools.