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| June 2004 |
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New school zones attract nationwide interest The success of the Christchurch City Council’s award-winning 40 km/h school zone system is continuing to attract interest nationally. The City Council recently won a national award for the system, the “Road-Based Innovation” award funded by the Road Safety Trust and administered by the Land Transport Safety Authority. It was also jointly awarded to Christchurch-based electronic signage firm High Technology Systems (HTS), which produced the automated signs for the zones. The signs were originally designed and developed for the City Council by Christchurch industrial design engineer Paul Sintes. Lee Kelly, the City Council’s roading consultation leader, says the zones have been attracting interest from other city and district councils, roading and education authorities since their launch in 2000. “Coping with rising traffic volumes outside schools is a national issue. Christchurch has a history of being proactive and innovative in addressing road safety issues and introducing engineering changes to make the roads safer. “The 40 km/h school zones system, established by the City Council in conjunction with Transit New Zealand, is an example of that innovation. Our award for road-based innovation is an endorsement of what our research and trials over the last five years have shown,” she says. Christchurch now boasts twelve 40 km/h school zones covering 15 schools. The most recent instalment was in March, with three new zones established covering six schools. The City Council will continue to install the zones on a yearly basis, as funding permits. HTS chief executive Bill O’Brien says other schools, councils and roading authorities in New Zealand are picking up the 40km/h school zone system. “Christchurch has been fortunate in that the City Council has funded the installation of the zones, which cost around $20,000 each. “Schools in New Zealand which are interested in the zones, but may not be able to secure funding from their local council, could potentially fundraise for a zone.”
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