Taupō District Council is introducing lower speed limits of 30km/h around many of the district’s schools.
The council adopted a Speed Management Plan in September last year, which prioritised the rollout of lower school area speed limits.
“Setting those lower speed limits around the schools really improves children’s safety,” said Taupō District Council road safety coordinator, Sarah Wraight.
“We teach our kids a lot about road safety, how to look both ways before crossing and wear a helmet on a bike, but the other part to the equation is drivers. We want parents to feel safe letting their kids walk, bike or scooter to school.”
Schools benefiting from the changes are:
- Tauhara Primary School
- Tauhara College
- Taupō-nui-a-Tia College
- Taupō Primary School
- Lake Taupō Christian School
- St Patrick’s Catholic School Taupō
- Mountview School
- Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakarewa |Te Reo Ki Tūwharetoa
- Taupō Intermediate School
- Hilltop School
- Waipāhīhī School
- Tongariro School
- Te Kura O Hirangi
- Wairākei Primary School
- Mangakino School
Tauhara Primary School principal, Tracy Fraser, said she was pleased that the Council would be regulating speeds to keep tamariki safe.
“Anything that manages speed is good, people do go quite fast around here and don’t always stop,” Ms Fraser said.
“We’re on Crown Road which is close to the industrial area and it’s so busy with trucks and cars, especially before and after school.
“Kids don’t always realise where the cars will be coming from or how fast they are and we’ve had a couple of close calls.”
