Police target school speeds

Police will be keeping a close eye on vehicle speeds outside Western bay of Plenty schools next week. File photo.

Next week Western Bay of Plenty Police will be out in force keeping an eye on vehicle speeds outside schools, as the school year begins in earnest.

Acting Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Wayne Hunter says many schools haven't yet gone back, so the annual road safety campaign will officially start on Monday.

'We're targeting primary schools predominantly, particularly those that have a history of people speeding past them – Bethlehem School is an example, as is Otumoetai Primary, and Mount Maunganui College, which is on a very busy road.”

A combination of marked and unmarked cars, as well as the speed camera vehicle, will be outside schools between 8am and 9am.

'We'll be targeting different schools randomly. The highway patrol guys will be focusing on the rural schools as well, so they won't be left out.”

Wayne says it's important to remember there will only be a four kilometre tolerance for those exceeding the speed limit, which is generally 50km/h outside most schools, unless they have a variable speed sign (which generally reduces the speed to 40km/h for a short period around the start and finish of school).

It's also important to remember to travel 20km/h past a stationary school bus.

'It's an important one to remember, especially with new kids starting school who might not be used to the new regime and just run out across the road,” says Wayne.

He adds that traffic can be heavy during this period, and that parents need to do their bit to make it easier on everybody.

'A lot of congestion is caused by parents waiting for their kids to come out of school and parking in places they shouldn't, such as on ‘no parking' lines or footpaths. It makes the problem a lot worse than if they just parked down the road and walked a little bit instead.”

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4 comments

ME TINKS

Posted on 02-02-2018 07:55 | By old trucker

This is all about wasting money on this and is a REVENUE gathering exercise, kids today are wrapped in cotton wool.and busy looking at cellphones etc, NO PHONES should be allowed at school, and if so should be handed in at start and picked up after school,me tinks why can they not have off road let off points at schools and most are on BUSY ROADS, parents should make them walk to school or ride, but hangon that involves exercise and little johnny would not like this,anyway my sixpense worth for what its worth,Thankyou No1,10-4 out. phew.


Education

Posted on 02-02-2018 11:23 | By wtf

Educate the kids to walk to school. Educate the kids to look out for traffic. Educate the kids to cross the road in safe places. Educate the parents to park properly this includes safely for their child. Educate people to slow down. Then maybe the police will stop this revenue gathering.


Misinformed

Posted on 02-02-2018 11:39 | By comfortablynumb

Ref @old trucker.I drive a school bus and very few motorists slow down to pass my bus at 20 kph when I am stationary and the children are getting on or off my bus. They are just all far too much in a rush trying to get to work on time or drop their kids off to school in the car. Even when Im parked outside the school Ive seen cars pass my bus at over 50kph or more which is lethal to the children and totally irresponsible. As for comment regarding the children not paying attention due to texting etc I see very few kids on their phones, most are chatting to friends or with their parents especially the young ones. So it is NOT about wasting money its about saving children from injury and death from speeding idiots outside schools. I hope the police are successful.


Agree Old Trucker

Posted on 02-02-2018 14:55 | By Border Patrol

Isn't it lovely over the school holidays, the traffic is actually bearable, which goes to show how much of it is related to schools. The council needs to be more proactive in getting kids onto buses (even if they provide door to door shuttle services in conjunction with the schools), surely that would be cheaper than upgrading roading etc to keep up with the increasing traffic in the city.


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