Two Tauranga principals believe the safety of their students will significantly improve now that speed zones are operational outside their schools.
The speed zones, which reduce the speed outside the schools to 40km/h, were switched on for the first time on Monday morning outside Welcome Bay Primary School and Otumoetai Primary School.

Welcome Bay Primary School principal Jacqui Patuawa stands next to the new speed zones outside her school.

Greenpark School will also be getting the speed zones once road works on Cameron Road are complete.
Extra signage and flashing 40km/h speed signs have been erected as part of the speed zones.
Speed will only be reduced to 40km/h outside the schools in restricted times in the morning and the afternoon.
Welcome Bay Primary School principal Jacqui Patuawa says the speed zones are fantastic.
'We have long been concerned about safety outside our school.
We have a pedestrian crossing and even with that it's been hard to get our children across the road,” says Jacqui.
She says it will create better driver awareness for motorists to slow down outside the school.
Otumoetai Primary School principal Geoff Opie initiated the speed zones concept and says it was explored in the interest of child safety.
'It's a big deal. It's one of those things I had seen in other places, in the US and Queensland,” says Geoff.
He says the three speed zones cost about $90,000, which Tauranga City Council contributed significantly towards.
'We appreciated the council buying-in to it because it's a big commitment from them,” says Geoff.
He understands about three to four schools a year will receive the speed zones.