Early reports have shown New Zealand's first "safety zone" outside Clive School has successfully lowered motorists' speed and indicate other Hawke's Bay schools could receive the same treatment.
The $6700 development saw additional road markings, signs and rails put up on School Rd outside the school to improve the safety of
children crossing.
Results from the first traffic monitoring project showed an overall reduction in average speed throughout the day of 10km/h.
Speeds averaged between 40 and 42km/h. Prior to the installation, speeds in excess of 55km/h were regularly reported at peak school times.
Hastings District Council transport manager Jag Pannu said the effects on driver behaviour would be monitored again in the next six to 12 months and if the lowered average speeds were sustained the council would look to roll out the safety zones to other schools.
Clive School principal Brian Eales said there had been a "remarkable improvement" to the safety of the road outside the school as drivers appeared to be reducing their speed because of the safety zone.
He said the council's decision to reduce the speed limit on part of School Rd from 100km/h to 70km/h would resolve the Clive School community's long-fought campaign to make the road outside the school safe.
"It's a win for the children and a win for their parents who expect them to arrive safely at the gate," he said.
He also said the effects of both speed-limiting measures would help create an environment where parents felt confident letting children walk and cycle to school.
The speed change would be implemented from the Lawn Rd intersection to the current 50km/h sign. The date of the speed change was not yet known.
