Our award winning pedestrian improvements are now permanent
We're a city of walkers, cyclists, and bus users, and that has to start with our kids being able to get to school safely. In November 2023 we launched a traffic calming trial on Freyberg Street in Lyall Bay, part of the wider Kilbirnie Connections programme, aimed at making it safer for kids getting to and from Lyall Bay School and encouraging more families to walk, scoot, and bike instead of driving.
After 30 months it’s finally permanant
We made sure we took our time on this trial, but it was well worth it. Speeds on Freyberg Street dropped from 49.8km/h to 38.7km/h while traffic volumes fell by 71% to just 360 vehicles a day. At the same time speeds reduced on surrounding streets, Queens Drive dropped by over 10km/h and Onepu Road by over 5km/h.
On top of all of this school travel surveys have shown people are already switching to active transport with a 4% increase in cycling and a comparable decrease in private vehicle trips.
Children had their say
At the committee meeting on the 5th of August the students of Lyall Bay School came in to have their say. I also had the privilege of meeting them beforehand. They were articulate, across the issue like you wouldn’t believe, and had a genuine passion for seeing their Council deliver safer ways for kids to use active transport across the city.
They came in matching tops and ran their own Q&A style interviews fit for a local radio station. They talked about how the changes made them feel safer, having a place to wait before the gates opened, and crossing distances at Wha Street that no longer felt like they were gambling with their lives.
Before they could get back to school we had deliberated and voted to make the changes permanent.
Who supported the project?
For: Mayor Little, Councillor Calvert, Pou Iwi Hohaia, Councillor Matthews, Councillor O’Brien, Councillor Reweti, Councillor Rogers
Against: Councillor Randle, Councillor Tiefenbacher
“It’s important that children have their say given we’re making decisions about the city they will inherit”
