Plans for proposed safety measures have been changed to be more effective thanks to community feedback, Howick Local Board, Bucklands and Eastern Beaches Residents Associations.
Speeding drivers, unsafe roads and traffic calming measures are being addressed as works are now underway, delivering welcome relief to a community that has been demanding greater safety.
An ongoing problem for years, one resident lost track of how many people they’ve assisted after crashes at the Laings Road and Bucklands Beach Road intersection.
Chair Damian Light says, “There have been a number of accidents along this road, so we need to make changes to make this road safe.”
The project targets critical areas for speed reduction on The Parade, between Laings Road and Whitcombe Road.
Funded by the board’s Transport Fund, community feedback was gathered through a February 2023 online survey and public meeting.
Light says, “The area is gorgeous, and the sought-after beaches are a big draw, but the road design isn’t up to scratch—narrow, straight roads with limited parking result in frequent road crossings, especially by children.
"We’ve heard clearly that something needed to be done so we asked Auckland Transport to assist. We appreciate that physical changes to local roads can be disruptive, so we’ve done our best to stay connected with residents through public meetings, keeping them informed and involved.”
The plan to enhance safety around Bucklands Beach includes installing one raised pedestrian crossing and three smaller speed bumps to slow traffic on The Parade. These upgrades will make crossing to Little Bucklands Beach safer and easier.
Although speed cameras and increased enforcement can help, experts from AT and NZ Police advise that physical changes like speed bumps are the most effective way to reduce speeds by forcing people to slow down.
Several residents mentioned that there used to be similar safety issues along Eastern Beach, which were resolved by the speed bumps that were added.
Light adds, “We’re investing in traffic calming in Bucklands Beach because the residents asked for us to make their roads safer. Physical interventions like the ones installed through this project have been proven to save lives. They will ensure that vehicles moving along this busy road next to a popular beach are travelling at safe speeds.”
This work is being done now to avoid the busier summer period and will take approximately four weeks to deliver.
Project details
Where? Laings Road to Whitcombe Road intersection on The Parade.
Start Date? 2 September 2024
Hours of work? 7am to 7pm
Duration? Approximately 4 weeks (weather dependent)
Works location.
How will it be delivered?
The key feedback was to complete the project quickly to address safety issues before the peak season in late 2024. To expedite this, the project will be divided into two stages:
Stage 1 (from Laings Road to Whitcombe Road) features a new raised pedestrian crossing and three speed humps between Laings Road and Whitcombe Road. Construction began September 2nd and cost approximately $287,052.11.
Stage 2 (from Whitcombe Road to Devon Road) will see additional crossings on The Parade and its side roads where there is high demand by people on foot. Cost estimate is to be confirmed once the design has been confirmed and consulted on later in 2024.
Detour map.
To learn more visit the AT website.
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