Speed limit reversals near schools: 'It doesn't make sense', Auckland principal says

Auckland schools are frustrated with speed limit reversals soon to hit their areas, and worry it will put children at risk.

In Auckland, 155 schools will be impacted by the government's new speed limit directive, which requires speed limits that have been lowered to go back to their pre-2019 levels.

On 1 July, speeds will go up from 30kph to 50kph on more than 1500 roads in Auckland - many of those in the surrounding areas of schools.

Most schools will be going back to variable speeds on the road immediately outside the entrance - that's lower speed limits of 30 kph, only around opening and closing times, for 150 metres either side of the school gate.

Blockhouse Bay School principal Neil Robinson cannot understand why the speeds were being raised, calling lower speeds in school neighbourhoods "common sense".

"Kids will behave unpredictably at times - they get distracted, talking to each other.

"It would be heartbreaking for anybody, including the driver, if a child got hit and they were going such a speed that it damaged the child in any way. I don't think you'd ever get over that."

According to an Auckland Transport report, for every 1 percent faster a vehicle drives, the risk of serious injury or death in a crash rises by 3 percent to 4 percent.

Robinson said the decision would mean more of the school's 500 students being driven to school.

"What it will ultimately do I think, is put more and more kids into cars, and less and less walking and biking, because parents will be worried about their children being hurt on the roads.

"There's real benefits to children walking or biking or bringing their scooters, we all know the benefits to their physical fitness and independence and things."

As the principal of Blockhouse Bay School for 15 years, he said lower speed limits around schools saved lives.

"Politicians and some families will ultimately come to rue this decision, and for the sake of maybe saving 20 seconds off your journey, I do wonder what's the benefit.

"I can't see one, it doesn't make sense to me."

In Manurewa, there were 19 schools in wide area of roads with speeds going up from 30kph to 50kph.

Rowandale School principal Karl Vasau said they were focused on educating students and drivers about road safety around schools, regardless of speed limits.

"I think what we need is just definitely educating our community that when passing a school, please be very vigilant, be very respectful, be aware that children may be crossing the road or families may be crossing the road to come to school or to leave school, and that sensible driving and parking and pick-ups and drop-offs are essential."

Vasau said there was a small part of the community that "really just don't drive well anyway".

"It's a culture of expectation that when you drive past a school or you drive past a school bus or you drive past a crossing, you do become aware and you slow down."

He said Rowandale School was continuing with road safety teaching - and had a travel wise team as well as students volunteering to be road patrollers.

At Te Kura o Pātiki - Rosebank School in Avondale, deputy principal Kelly Fitzjames said being on a busy arterial route was constantly causing safety concerns for the school.

"Teachers these days wear so many hats and road safety is one of them!"

They had just managed to get a new traffic light crossing on Rosebank Rd approved after campaigning on road safety, but Fitzjames said with many schools in the area, she was still worried about the speed limit changes.

"We obviously have the kindy next door, we have the college next door, we have Avondale Intermediate on the other side, it's pretty crazy to think that in such a small area of so many schools, so many children, that [speed limits] would change," she said.

"In our role it's always about the children and what's best for the children, and obviously, safety does play a big part of that. And like I said before, 20 kilometres is quite a huge change, and if it takes you five or ten minutes longer in your journey, but it saves a life - well, how can you really compare or even question that?"

Auckland Transport estimated the total cost to reverse speed limits was $8.8 million. Half of that will be covered by the New Zealand Transport Agency, with Aucklanders copping the rest of the bill.

Transport safety manager Teresa Burnett said Auckland Transport was required to make the changes under the government's directive to increase speeds, and they had been in touch with impacted schools.

"We are working with individual schools to address any questions or concerns they have about the upcoming changes and to provide them with the right information to share with their students and school communities," she said.

When Auckland Transport initially put in the lower speeds, the presence of a local school was one of the reasons for lowering the speed limit, Burnett said.

Minister for Transport Chris Bishop said in a statement the government was prioritising the safety of school kids at drop-off and pick-up times, where the rate of injury and death was 2.7 times higher.

He said the government's investment in road policing and encouraging safer driving behaviour, safer vehicles, and safety cameras.

Kelly Fitzjames said decision makers needed to consider the individual schools where speeds were increasing.

"I do ask why? Why, what is their reasoning, and what evidence do they have that this is the best decision?"

"Come and stand out here at three o'clock, and just have a look what happens. Even before school - come and actually see what's happening on these roads, and talk to the community. Has there been any community consultation? I'm not sure, they say there is, but we're always talking to the parents and it's like crickets."

She said the school community was supportive of any fight for safer speeds, even if the wider community was not.

Neil Robinson said the Blockhouse Bay School community would keep advocating for permanently lower speeds.

"I would imagine that our board on behalf of our parents will be pushing back against this, but once again whether they'll listen, I don't know, but it's certainly worth a go."

• You can see what roads will have a new speed limit come July on this Auckland Transport map.

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