Hamilton Residents Asked to Share Views on Transport Safety Improvements

3 OCTOBER 2012

Enhanced road safety measures and improved public transport facilities are among a range of initiatives Hamilton City Council is seeking the public’s views on. Around 11,000 letters and specific neighbourhood plans will this week be sent to properties in 25 areas across the city where transport safety and access improvement initiatives are being considered.

Council is keen for residents to share their views which will be used to assist in deciding what road safety, public transport and access improvement initiatives are introduced. Quality alternatives to the car such as city cycle networks, pedestrian access and bus priority projects will assist, alongside improvements to the city’s strategic road network.

The initiatives include:

• Safer Speed areas - speeds lowered to 40 km/h in 18 selected residential areas. This will add to the eight areas already in the city

• Minor safety works – including pedestrian refuge islands, road narrowing, and intersection layout changes

• Linking walking, cycling and bus routes – connecting in with Safer Speed areas • Improving public infrastructure – new bus shelters, retrofitting bus stop kerbs to full wheelchair accessible standard

Hamilton East is a particular area of focus for the improvements as it is a high-risk area for crashes at intersections, “rat running” (use of local roads by commuters trying to avoid congestion) and excessive speed.

A range of initiatives have been proposed to improve safety in the neighbourhood. One of these is a new form of cost-effective intersection control, which will see some traffic movements restricted at four intersections. A trial of this will run from 8-21 October at the Cook/Firth Streets, Cook/Nixon Streets, Nixon/Albert Streets and Firth/Albert Streets intersections.

A drop-in information session will take place on Wednesday 3 October from 5-7pm at Waimarie House, Wellington St, Hamilton East which residents are invited to and where they can learn more about what is proposed for the Hamilton East neighbourhood.

Commenting, City Infrastructure General Manager Chris Allen says: “Our initial surveys in August - of residents in all areas of the city where Safer Speeds and improvements are proposed - showed strong support for this in their area. We also want to make a real difference in areas of most need based on historical feedback and safety information that we have.

“We’re now keen to hear from residents again about the specific plans for their neighbourhood to make it safer for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users. Their views will be useful in gauging support for the proposed initiatives, and will help us decide what improvements are needed. Funding some of these changes can be challenging, so we want to ensure we invest in a way that meets the community’s demand, and makes our city streets safer.

“We are also talking with Waikato Regional Council to identify what street improvements will assist in making the bus service more reliable and accessible to the community.”

To find out more about what is planned across the city in different areas, as well as to provide online feedback, visit www.hamilton.co.nz/transport. The closing date for feedback is 12 October 2012.

The transport safety and access improvement initiatives, which are planned for installation early next year, are being jointly funded by the City Council and the NZ Transport Agency, and are budgeted to cost around $1.9 million over the next year.

ENDS

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