KEY POINTS:
A crackdown to reduce serious and fatal injuries on Auckland's roads will see new 40km/h speed zones brought in at 16 schools before the end of June.
A total of 23 schools already have speed zones, after the initiative's first trial at St Joseph's in Onehunga.
More than 300 on-road crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists aged 5 to 18 were recorded between 2003 and 2007 in Auckland City.
More than half of these crashes happened on journeys to and from school, and the safety of children on roads was still a big concern, said councillor John Lister, deputy chairman of Auckland City Council's transport committee.
"Speeding outside schools cannot be tolerated. Children deserve to be safe, especially when travelling to and from school," he said.
"We welcome the extension of school speed zones, as the initiative has been well tested and successfully implemented in many schools already.
"Speeds have reduced on average by 5km/h at the schools evaluated and feedback from [police] and schools show a high level of compliance."
Mr Lister said the council's traffic safety programme also continued to address various other issues, contributing directly to the region's reduction goals for traffic accidents.
The goal was to reduce all fatal and serious crashes in Auckland City to 105 a year by 2012.
The goal for the Auckland region as a whole was to reduce them to 400 a year by then.
"We are looking at road improvements to address high-risk areas or 'black spots' within the city, and we will continue with the red-light camera pilot begun last year to reduce motorists running red lights," Mr Lister said.
"We will also continue actions to reduce red-light running by cyclists, which will further improve safety for pedestrians."
He said a report on the red-light pilot was due to be presented to the Transport Agency in June.
Actions taken on Queen St in the central business district included a 30km/h speed limit.
SLOW ZONES
1. Victoria Ave Primary, Remuera
2. Baradene College, Remuera
3. St Kentigern College, Pakuranga
4. Te Huruhi Primary, Waiheke
5. Waiheke High School
6. Hillsborough Primary
7. May Rd School, Mt Roskill
8. Westmere School
9. St Dominic's, Blockhouse Bay
10. St Mary's School, Ellerslie
11. Glen Taylor School, Glendowie
12. St Pius X School, Glen Innes
13. Glen Innes Primary
14. Sylvia Park School
15. Kohimarama School
16. Stanhope Rd, Mt Wellington
- NZPA
