Roads around six Levin schools will be safer for children following Horowhenua District Council’s adoption of four
additional school zones with variable speed limits.
Horowhenua District Council adopted the new zones, which are part of a proposal to update the Schedule of Speed Limits
in the Land Transport Bylaw 2017, at its meeting on 12 June.
The four new variable speed zones will apply around Levin East School and Waiopehu College; Fairfield School; Levin
North School; and Levin School and Levin Intermediate.
Council’s Roading Services Manager, Kevin Peel, said reducing traffic speeds to 40 kilometres per hour or less has been
shown to significantly reduce the risk of accidents and the consequences of injury.
“Roads outside schools can be dangerous for children, especially during busy periods before school starts and after
school ends for the day, when there are lots of cars and kids around. The variable speed zones will reduce the speed
limit during these periods when the risk to children is highest,” he said.
Speed limits on roads around the schools will reduce to 40 kilometres per hour approximately 30 minutes before and 30
minutes after school, and remain at 50 kilometres per hour at other times.
“New electronic signs will be installed on main roads past schools, and there will be new static signs on side roads. We
urge drivers look out for them and be aware of the need to drive at a safe speed,” Mr Peel said.
Horowhenua already has several variable speed school zones, including in front of Horowhenua College and St. Joseph’s
School, Koputaroa School, and Opiki School.
The new variable speed zones will come into effect following a public notification period and the formal ratification of
the updated Land Transport Bylaw, expected at the Council meeting on 14 August.
Affected roads include:
• Levin East School and Waiopehu College zone – Parts of Bartholomew Road, Parsons Avenue, Bath Street and Meadowvale
Drive.
• Fairfield School zone – Parts of Macarthur Street, Fairfield Road, Bartholemew Street, Rimu Street, Easton Way,
Homewood Avenue, Phoenix Palms Grove and Kennedy Drive.
• Levin North School zone – Parts of Wereroa Road, Read Street, Chester Street, Dudley Street, Graham Street, York
Street, Lancaster Street, Clark Street.
• Levin School and Levin Intermediate School zone – Parts of Tiro Tiro Road, Forth Street, Collingwood Street and
Grenville Street; all of Cook Street, Rodney Street and Drake Street.