Let’s celebrate – 3 years of Ponsonby Road as a 40km zone

Guest post from Andy Smith, Chair of Walk Auckland

It has been 3 years this September since the speed limit along Ponsonby Road has been 40km…. And we’re thrilled to say that it’s been a safer 3 years!

The project to lower the speed limit along Ponsonby Road started in 2004 with a Walk Auckland Survey in which 65% of people indicated they would like the traffic along Ponsonby Road to slow down. It took people like Hamish Keith and the members of the Western Bay Community Board 5 years of hard work to turn this into a reality. In September 2009 our road became a 40km zone. The first of its kind in the central city area!

To acknowledge & celebrate this milestone we have planned a number of events along the Ponsonby Road this September to remind everyone about transport options and traffic safety.

  • Hamish Keith will cut the 40 km zone birthday cake at noon on September 1st on the corner of Franklin & Ponsonby Roads. There will be giveaways and slices for everyone so please meet us there.
  • The Strip will be filled with bicycles on September 16th, when Tweed Riders and Frocks on Bikes hit the Street between 11am – 2pm.  Starting at T Whites Bikes 11am.
  • Worldwide Park(ing) day http://parkingday.org/  will see a carpark turn into a Public Park September 21th in front of Landreth so there’ll be a cool new space to sit, park your bikes safely and easily.
  • Ponsonby Market Day and Worldwide Car free day http://www.worldcarfree.net/wcfd/ on September 22nd will fill the road with people and the start of Auckland Heritage Festival on September 29th at 12noon in Western Park.

There will be electronic speed notification signs along Ponsonby Road during the Month of September. We’ll be rewarding people at random for travelling within the speed limit. There are heaps of great vouchers to be won.

Pass on this message on to get the word out and watch your speed – ‘40 is the new 50!’

Join us

Bike Auckland is the non-profit organisation working to improve things for people on bikes. We’re a people-powered movement for a better region. We speak up for you – and the more of us there are, the stronger our voice!

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