Auckland Transport media release

1 October 2019

The beach suburbs of Mairangi Bay and Torbay will be made safer for people who aren’t in vehicles - thanks to funding from Hibiscus and Bays Local Board.

Auckland Transport (AT) crash statistics show 80 per cent of all deaths and serious injuries occur on 50km/h local roads. Nearly half of those deaths and injuries involve people walking or riding a bike.

AT and Hibiscus and Bays Local Board are working together to make Mairangi Bay and Torbay safer for everyone.

Mairangi Bay will have three new raised pedestrian crossings by the end of June 2020, while Torbay will have one new raised pedestrian crossing and two new zebra crossings by the end of this year.

Most of the new crossings will replace existing pedestrian refuges.

One new raised crossing was added to the proposal in Torbay as a direct result of community consultation.

These improvements will make it easier to walk around the village centre and enable people to cross the road safely near shops.

Randhir Karma, AT’s Group Manager Network Management, says Mairangi Bay and Torbay have high numbers of vulnerable road users – children, senior citizens, and people walking or biking through the villages.

“AT has committed to reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries on Auckland roads by 60 per cent over the next 10 years. One of the ways we want to do that is through working closely with communities and elected members to make local changes.

“We are focussing on providing safe places to cross and reducing traffic speeds - which will result in safer village environments,” he says.

The work in Torbay will begin before Christmas, with Mairangi Bay construction to follow later in the summer.

AT will be in touch with local businesses and residents before construction is carried out, which is expected to last no longer than six weeks.

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