Auckland Transport has asked for your input on pedestrian safety improvements for the Newton Central Primary School area in Grey Lynn.
Read about the proposed changes and have your say:
Bike Auckland’s take on the proposal
Overall, Bike Auckland supports the changes proposed. These will make it easier and safer for children to get to and from Newton Central School. We particularly like the kerb build-outs. These will help increase the feeling that these streets are not just for cars.
But the proposal doesn’t include everything it should.
What does Auckland Transport propose for the Newton Primary area?
The proposal covers changes on Monmouth Street, Burns Street, Putiki Street and Waima Street in Grey Lynn. They include new pedestrian crossings, a new pick-up and drop-off area, changes to parking rules and kerb build-outs.
This project should include cycling
Although this consultation isn’t about cycling, it should be. With the Northwestern shared path on one side and the recently completed Great North Road cycleway now on the other, both in the Newton catchment, Newton kids can cycle to school.
We think there should be more ambition. Auckland Transport could turn Monmouth St into a “safe school street”. This would designate a “school threshold zone” and close off Monmouth St to most school pick-up/drop-off traffic.
Here’s a video about a previous safe school street project to explain the concept.
Cycling makes sense here – and there are many ways to make it safer
Even if a school street is out of scope for this project, there are other easy wins which would make cycling safer here. As a minimum, Auckland Transport could apply paint treatments to the road surfaces on Monmouth and surrounds. Visual cues would warn drivers they are entering a school zone and to give space to pedestrian and cyclist traffic (both parents and children). Sharrows are Bike Auckland’s least favourite form of infrastructure but here, combined with other measures, they could help.
Waima St, Monmouth St and Burns St are an unofficial but commonly used connector between the Great North Road cycleway and the Northwestern shared path, via the Waima St pedestrian footbridge. Anything that can improve this connection would be welcome.
Making biking easier on these streets is very much aligned with Auckland Transport’s 2025-2028 Statement of Intent. In this Auckland Transport has committed to ‘progress existing urban cycleways projects and prepare for implementation of lower-cost opportunities to complete the cycling network.’ Improving cycling infrastructure in this way will help Auckland Transport deliver on its commitments to an effective, efficient and safe Auckland land transport system in the public interest.
How to have your say on changes around Newton Central School
Have your say by this Friday 12 June on the short survey link, or by email to engagementfeedback@johnstaff.co.nz.
