Road safety

We work closely with the community to reduce the number of road accidents in the district. We want to see fewer people killed or injured on our roads and reduce the social cost of damage to people, vehicles and property.

We run a number of road safety projects and activities involving primary and secondary schools and a range of community groups.

The Transport Safety Coordinator's main task is to liaise with community groups and organisations, creating networks and bringing about positive change in road safety outcomes.

This work promotes 'ownership' of road safety, and brings the community closer to the development of a 'road safety culture'. It reflects the continued emphasis expressed in the Community Plan on road safety improvements and steps to reduce the number of crashes occurring on the district's roads.

Our road safety initiatives include:

• road safety education and advertising campaigns targeting key safety issues – pedestrians, intersections, speed, drink-driving and motorcyclists
• regular child restraint checks
• a school travel programme
• supporting school road patrols
• running Bike Wise events in February
• ongoing engineering investments such as traffic signals, pedestrian crossings, reduced speed limits on high-risk roads, traffic calming to create slow zones in residential streets, improving intersection design and cycle lanes.

What are our top road safety issues?

The top seven road safety issues in the Kāpiti district are:

• pedestrian safety
• cycle safety
• motorcyclists
• young drivers
• intersections – failure to give way or stop
• excessive speed
• mature road users.

The Road Safety Action Plan (RSAP) working group

Each year we develop a road safety programme in line with the government's road safety 2020 strategy. 

By doing this, we combine our efforts with the efforts of:

• road police
• community police
• Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC)
• NZ Transport Authority (NZTA)
• Greater Wellington Regional Council.

Some projects also involve neighbouring councils and community groups such as schools, marae and the Plunket Society. The RSAP working group meets four times a year, and the RSAP document outlines plans and projects for the year, and how agencies will work together.

School travel plans – travelling safely and sustainably

Our school travel plan gives our school community a set of practical actions to improve road safety, reduce car trips to school and encourage students to use more sustainable modes of transport, such as walking, cycling, buses and trains.

We work in partnership with Greater Wellington Regional Council to help schools implement travel plans.

What sorts of things does a travel plan include?

A school travel plan includes actions such as:

• Travel surveys student and parent
• 12 monthly resurveys
• Travel plan development in combination with school staff, parents and students
• Engaging student council
• Student inquiry based learning modules
• Developing school policy to support active travel
• Walking school buses
• Road safety and cycling education
• Traffic calming measures
• Improvements to parking management around the school
• Installing or upgrading pedestrian facilities including pedestrian and kea crossings
• Expanding school facilities – bike and scooter racks
• Promotions that encourage walking trips
• Car pooling.

What are the benefits of a school travel plan?

Benefits include:

• Improved road safety in the school neighbourhood, e.g. safer crossings
• Encouraging children to be more physically active by walking or cycling to school
• Fewer cars at the school gate
• Reducing unsafe and illegal parking behaviour outside the school
• Reducing air pollution and saving energy
• Active transport ensures that students are alert and ready to learn
• Engaging the community and enhancing social connectedness.

The following schools have travel plans:

• Kapanui School
• Kāpiti School
• Kenakena School
• Ōtaki School
• Paekākāriki School
• Paraparaumu School
• Paraparaumu Beach School
• Raumati Beach School
• Raumati South School
• St Peter Chanel School
• Te Horo School
• Te Ra Waldorf School
• Waikanae School
• Waitohu School.