A 20-year wait for safe speeds will soon be over for a Kaikōura school.
Te Kura o Hāpuku, located on State Highway 1 north of Kaikōura, and Cheviot Area School are among 16 Canterbury schools set to receive new variable speed limit signs in the coming weeks.
A spokesperson for Hāpuku School said the school had written multiple letters to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, with the first one dated in 2006.
A 60kph variable sign was due to be installed in late April or early May.
‘‘100kph is too fast when you’ve got kids,’’ the spokesperson said. ‘‘We are pretty stoked that it is finally happening.’’
A 30kph variable sign will be installed on Cheviot’s main road, Hall St, to improve the safety for children crossing the road to school.
‘‘Student safety is always our highest priority, and this change will help create a safer environment for our tamariki, whānau and staff during the busiest times of the school day,’’ Cheviot Area School principal Ginny Neal said.
‘‘For us, this is about giving families greater confidence and helping ensure that everyone arriving at or leaving school can do so more safely.’’
NZTA director of regional relationships James Caygill said the variable speed signs will be in force during school drop-off and pick up times.
‘‘We know that these reduced speed limits can make a real difference in keeping children and their families safe.’’
The new variable speed limit is enforceable and is expected to slow traffic more effectively, improving safety at the busiest times of the school day, he said.
The signs will operate for up to 45 minutes before and after the school bell and can also be activated for short periods at other times when there are significant numbers of children around.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
