Stratford District Council’s School Safety Improvement Project is looking to put kids in the driving seat, or rather the bike seat, with the unveiling of plans for a tamariki-friendly network of safe walking and cycling paths between Stratford primary schools and key destinations in the community.

Locals are being encouraged to view the plans for the first phase of the project and have their say about the proposed designs during the community feedback period from Monday 14 August to 4pm Friday 8 September.

Plans for Phase 1 will see the development of safe walking and protected two-way cycle paths between Avon School, Stratford Primary School, and St Joseph’s School.

Connections will be developed between the schools to Wai o Rua – Stratford Aquatic Centre, TET Multisports Stadium, and State Highway 3, and a safe crossing point installed on Pembroke Road for better access into and from Taranaki Diocesan School. The proposed changes will affect Hamlet, Regan, and Portia Streets on the north side of Stratford, and Miranda, Celia, and Hamlet Streets to the south.

Phase 2 plans, which will go out for public feedback later in the year, includes accessible crossing points on State Highway 3 and walking and cycling paths to improve connections from key residential areas to Stratford High School and destinations like Stratford Bike Park and Whakaahurangi Marae.

Victoria Araba, SDC Director – Assets, says the planned improvements will put Stratford on the road to having a healthy travel network that works for all members of the community.

“You should be able to jump on a bike, go for a walk, or head out on your mobility scooter to safely get to where you need to go in your neighbourhood. Our Transport Choices project is about giving our tamariki, whānau, and community the confidence to get out there and enjoy being active in our awesome town,” says Victoria.

“We’re proud of what we’re proposing. We think we’ve got the right mix between looking after our vehicle users and encouraging environmentally friendly travel options, but we want our locals to give us their views as well. Tell us what you think. If you’ve got questions, there’ll be lots of opportunities to talk to our Transport Choices team in the next few weeks.”

District residents can visit Stratford.govt.nz/HaveYourSay to view the full set of plans and give their feedback online. Plans and paper feedback forms are available at Stratford Library and Visitor Information Centre, Wai o Rua – Stratford Aquatic Centre, and council’s Service Centre.

Community members with questions can email TransportChoices@Stratford.govt.nz or call 06 765 6099. SDC also encourages interested members of the community to come to one of their family-friendly drop-in sessions to ask questions and talk through the project with one of the Stratford Transport Choices team.

The Transport Choices drop-in sessions are from:

• 2.30pm – 4pm, Wednesday 23 August at Stratford Primary School
• 2.30pm – 4pm, Thursday 24 August at St. Joseph’s School
• 5.30pm – 7pm, Thursday 24 August at TET Multisports Stadium
• 9am – 1pm every Friday from 18 August to 8 September in the Kowhai Room at the Stratford Library and Visitor Information Centre.

SDC’s School Safety Improvement Project is being done with the support of Transport Choices, a $348 million programme funded by the Climate Emergency Response Fund through Waka Kotahi, which aims to demonstrate what’s possible for communities across Aotearoa New Zealand by quickly providing people with healthier, more affordable, and safer transport choices that are good for us, and for the environment.

The total value of both phases of the project is $7.8M. Transport Choices funding will cover 80% of the project, with a 20% co-funding contribution from SDC.

Waka Kotahi Manager Urban Mobility Kathryn King says Stratford’s School Safety Improvement Projects are a shining example of how the transport agency and councils can work together to have a lasting impact on the community, supporting tamariki and their whānau to shift towards sustainable and more affordable travel modes.

“Our streets need to change. It’s becoming clear that our communities want safer, more resilient and adaptable streets with less traffic, so children can confidently walk or bike to school, and so people can consider getting to work on a bike instead of a car.”

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