Motorists are being warned to prepare for the introduction of slower speed zones outside three Tauranga Primary Schools.
A Tauranga City Council bylaw, which came into force on October 1, creates 40km/h school slow zones outside Otumoetai, Welcome Bay and Greenpark Primary Schools.

Motorist travelling past three Tauranga primary schools will soon have to reduce their speeds.

Signage and flashing lights, designed to warn motorists of the slow zones, are expected to be erected within the next few weeks.
The slow zones will operate outside the schools for a period in the morning and again in the afternoons.
Principals at Otumoetai Primary School and Welcome Bay Primary School say motorists need to start adhering to the new speed zone now so they travel at the correct speed once the signage goes up.
Otumoetai Principal Geoff Opie says kids are totally unpredictable and hopes the new school slow zone will make motorists more aware.
'Otumoetai Road is a very busy road and the signage will make people more aware and alert, especially in these times.
'We still have people who don't acknowledge there is a pedestrian crossing out there. 'They are totally oblivious,” says Geoff.
Welcome Bay Primary School principal Jacqui Patuawa says the road outside her school is dangerous.
'We hope the slow zone will make it more apparent to motorists of the risk to our children when they are crossing,” says Jacqui.
She says whenever there is an accident at Hairini, traffic heading to Mount Maunganui and Te Puke is diverted along Welcome Bay Road and past her school.
'It's not until there's a tragedy that people realise the need to put slow zones in place,” says Jacqui.