40 km speed limit extended to more schools around Marlborough

New speed warning signs are being installed at seven more schools in Marlborough to reinforce the message to motorists to cut their speed near schools when children are on the road in big numbers.

New bright yellow advisory signs will warn drivers to keep their speed down to 40 km/h when travelling past

· St Marys School on Stephenson Street

· Mayfield School on Hutcheson Road and Lansdowne Street

· Rai Valley School on SH6

· Havelock School on SH6

· Spring Creek School on Ferry Road

· Grovetown School on Vickermans Road

· Renwick School on SH6 and Havelock Road.

The signs encourage drivers to understand the need for extreme care around schools, particularly at pick-up and drop-off times, says Marlborough District Council Assets and Services Committee chairman Terry Sloan.

“It’s about raising driver awareness and keeping our youngsters safe; children are not always predictable so drivers need to be prepared for the risk of a sudden swerving bicycle or someone stepping out from behind a parked car.”

“The signs are very simple attention joggers for drivers to ease the foot off the accelerator around schools – just slowing down that little bit might make all the difference if a sudden stop has to be made,” he said.

The 40km signs are already installed outside schools at Raupara, Springlands, Redwoodtown, Whitney Street, Witherlea, Waikawa Bay and Linkwater.

Drivers should be well familiar with these signs by now so there’s no excuse for not observing the new speed limit, said Councillor Sloan.

Police would be actively enforcing the lower limit near schools, he said.

ENDS.

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