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Roads outside schools can be dangerous for children. At the time when children are crossing there can be high volumes of traffic, manoeuvring vehicles, parked vehicles obscuring visibility and vehicle speeds often appear too high. Research has shown reducing vehicle speeds to 40 km/h or less significantly reduces the level of injury if a child is struck by a vehicle.
40km/h variable speed zones have arrived at 18 Hamilton primary and intermediate schools, highlighting another dimension to Council's road safety initiatives as school returns for term one. The 40km/h variable speed zones programme was launched on Tuesday 5 February at Fairfield Intermediate School by Hamilton mayor Bob Simcock and Minister of Transport Hon. Annette King.
Council adopted the 40km/h variable speed zone programme around schools under its Speed Limit Bylaw in January 2008, having satisfied the national guidelines and requirements of Land Transport New Zealand (LTNZ). The impetus behind this new traffic calming practice is to provide a safer road environment outside Hamilton schools, reinforce driver expectations as to the likely presence of children in the area and encourage safe, active travel to school.
Council is committed to encouraging school children to walk and cycle to school as an alternative to being driven and the adoption of the 40km/h variable speed limit in local school zones aims to achieve a safer journey to school for students. Council intends for all Hamilton schools to have the 40km/h zones and will be working to convince Land Transport New Zealand that the safety improvements delivered by the lower speeds are needed by all schools. As Hamilton's road network continues to reach capacity at peak times, the criteria on which the 18 launch schools were selected needs to reflect the changing face and needs of Hamilton's road network and subsequent road safety issues around schools.
The 40km/h variable speed limit programme has been trialled with strong success in New Zealand's major city centres. Council is partnering with police to enforce this practice at the 18 selected Hamilton schools. While there will be a short period for drivers to adjust police will enforce the speed limit zones without hesitation. The message will be clear that 40km/h means exactly that.
In conjunction with the 40km/h variable speed zones programme eight schools in the programme are also participating in Council's school travel programme which seeks to minimise congestion around school gates through road safety education and increasing sustainable travel behaviour, e.g., walking, cycling, carpooling, etc. Every term the Back to School awareness programme reminds motorists to look out and think for children going back to school and reminds those dropping and picking kids up to do it safely and the multi road agency Give a Damn campaign will focus for six weeks on vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and 40km/h zones.
Objectives of variable speed limits in school zones
Variable speed limits in school zones are seen as having the following objectives:
- provide a safer road environment outside schools
- reinforce driver expectations of the likely presence of children
- encourage safe and active travel to school.
Times of operation
School speed zones will operate:
- 35 minutes before the start of school until the start of school
- 20 minutes at the end of school commencing no earlier than five minutes before the end of school
- 10 minutes at any other time of day when at least 50 children cross the road or enter or leave vehicles at the roadside.
Best practice guidelines
Factors required for the successful operation of a 40 km/h variable speed limit in a school zone are:
- having times of operation coinciding with on-road, school-related activity
- approved advisory signs and regulatory displays that alert motorists they are travelling through a school zone
- appropriate levels of enforcement by the police
- long-term commitment by the principal and Board of Trustees for the correct operation of a 40 km/h variable speed limit at their school.
Schools that have 40km/h speed zones
1. Aberdeen Primary School 2. Bankwood Primary School 3. Deanwell Primary School 4. Fairfield Primary School 5. Fairfield Intermediate School 6. Frankton Primary School 7. Hamilton East Primary School 8. Hukanui Primary School 9. Insoll Primary School 10. Maeroa Intermediate School 11. Marian Catholic School 12. Peachgrove Intermediate School 13. Pukete Primary School 14. Rotoruna Primary School 15. Silverdale Normal Primary School 16. St Josephs Primary School 17. Vardon Primary School 18. Woodstock Primary School.
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