Work starts quickly on Sala St school crossing in Rotorua, as call made for full review

Work has started on the Sala St pedestrian crossing. Photo / Andrew Warner

Within a week of public concerns being raised about a pedestrian crossing outside a Rotorua school, work has started to make improvements.

But there are fresh calls for a complete review of the area on Sala St because "lives are at stake".

The Rotorua Daily Post reported last week there were major concerns for the safety of children at Whakarewarewa School as a result of a pedestrian crossing outside the school.

It was reported that pupils at the school were being dropped off, even if they lived across the road, because their caregivers were too worried about the dangers of using the pedestrian crossing that sits on a corner of Sala St near the school's entrance.

The school's board of trustees chairwoman Michele Hawe and two concerned grandparents, Paekiri Vercoe and Maude Wano, expressed concerns they had asked the NZ Transport Agency to fix the problem but attempts to make it safer in June had only made things worse.

In June the transport agency installed traffic islands that jut out on to the road, in an attempt to make the crossing more visible, but also made the corner too tight for trucks and larger vehicles to get around.

The concrete islands on the Sala St crossing have been run over as vehicles fail to take a tight bend. Photo / Andrew Warner

The concrete islands, where pedestrians were expected to stand and wait, have now been smashed by vehicles running them over when they fail to take the corner properly.

Last week the NZTA said it would make improvements to the crossing by the end of November, but within days workers were at the site working on it.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council transport committee chairman Lyall Thurston said the work being done this week appeared "cosmetic".

He called for a full review of the area.

He said Sala St was now a busy bypass for trucks and other heavy vehicles and that traffic impacted the school, which had been there for generations.

"Lives are at stake here. We as a community need to address it. It [the pedestrian crossing] might not have been a problem years ago but it was is now because Sala St is a major bypass. It's a situation that gravely needs to be addressed."

Transport Agency system manager Rob Campbell said work started this week but there was still further work, such as resealing and road marking, to be done that would not be finished until later in November.

He said the work wasn't brought forward as they had intended to start this week.

"However, where possible, we always try to provide conservative estimates around dates for our works to allow for any unexpected circumstances."

He said "School" plates would be added to the signs and the agency was working with the Rotorua Lakes Council to put in other signs at either side of the crossing.

The agency is also looking at speed limits in urban areas in Rotorua, which will include Sala St.

Regarding a wider review, Campbell said the agency was working with the council on the Rotorua Network Operating Framework, which identified all issues of roading and future planning.

"The Network Operating Framework will carry out the wider review suggested and identify any concerns along this route and others in the city, leading to appropriate projects being considered for the future."

School principal Hinei Taute said she was pleased to see adjustments were already being made and hoped there would be more to come.

"Road signage like 'School ahead, pedestrians crossing', 40km/h zone between 8am and 9am and 3pm to 3.30pm and flashing lights will be an important aspect to getting this safe for our tamariki."

She said she was looking forward to confidently having school patrols on the pedestrian crossing helping the pupils across the road, like they do at other schools, but right now it was not safe.

Safety concerns with the Whakarewarewa School pedestrian crossing prompted school Board of Trustees chairwoman Michelle Hawe (left) and grandmother Paekiri Vercoe to speak out. Photo / Andrew Warner

Hawe said she was surprised but pleased to see work starting this week.

"What I am not sure of is whether the design changes will improve road safety until its completion [and there is] signage improvements and speed reduction."

Vercoe said seeing the work start this week made her feel "listened to".

"We appreciated that our concerns were taken seriously. Thank you to all."