The Tauranga school principal who helped usher in ‘school speed zones' across the city now wants the safety measure outside every school in the Western Bay of Plenty.

Otumoetai Primary School principal Geoff Opie lobbied Tauranga City Council to introduce the speed zones, which reduce the speed outside schools from 50km/h to 40km/h.

The zones are currently in place outside six Tauranga schools.

Geoff says it is expensive to introduce the zones, estimated to cost between $20,000 and $30,000 per school.

'Every school around Tauranga should have a reduced speed zone,” says Geoff.

'They certainly do slow things down in general terms.”

He believes about three to four new speed zones will be implemented outside Tauranga schools this year.

Schools are allocated zones based on need and are prioritised on a list.

Geoff says there are some issues associated with implementing the safety measure outside all schools.

He says this includes how to manage speed reduction outside rural schools where the speed limit is 100km/h.