Waikato Speed Management Te Awamutu Town Centre Health Impact Assessment (HIA)

1. Waikato Speed ManagementTe Awamutu Town CentreHealth Impact Assessment (HIA) Kay Kristensen & Rose Black July 2016

2. Background: Why speed? • Inconsistent speed management practices are confusing • Vehicle speed factor in 20+% of fatal & serious injury • Critical factor in outcome of any crash • Waikato roads have one of the worst safety records in NZ • Waikato has highest proportion of SHs - 16% of national network or 1730kms • Golden triangle – Auckland/ Tauranga/ Hamilton

3. Response • Waikato Regional Transport Committee • Regional Road Safety Strategy 2013-16 • Speed Management Governance Group • Ministry of Transport (national), NZ Transport Agency (national), District Mayors, NZ Police (Road Policing Manager), Automobile Association • Speed Management Project Steering Group - NZ Transport Agency, Waikato Regional Council, NZ Police, Council, Waikato DHB, Gray Matter Ltd

4. The demonstration project • Aim to develop a regionally consistent approach to speed management using new speed management guide • Ultimate aim of lower deaths and serious injuries on our roads

5. Waipa District Council • Council had identified a number of locations that would benefit from a speed limit and speed management review • Te Awamutu Town Centre one of those locations because: • 58 crashes in last five-years • Current 85th percentile travel speed on Alexandra Street match safe and appropriate speed which is lower than speed limit • Alexandra, Bank, Sloane & Arawata Streets within top 10% of highest priority sites for intervention • High vehicle count on Alexandra Street – more than 11,0000 per day

6. Te Awamutu town centre demonstration project

7. Why health impact assessment? • Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of trauma for the Waikato DHB – lifelong disability and impact for individuals families communities • Population Health saw value in exploring the broader health and wellbeing impacts of speed management • We look at the impact of transport policy on physical activity, safety etc • HIA an internationally validated method

8. What is HIA? • A forward looking approach - applied before implementation • Considers the broader health and wellbeing impacts of policy • Research question: what impact (intended/unintended) would a change in speed management have on the health and wellbeing of vulnerable road users and the business community? Determinants = safety, accessibility, mobility • Captures voices not readily heard • Provides evidence and feeds into decision-making

9. Getting the local perspective • The locals: • School children – St Patrick’s Catholic School, Te Awamutu Primary School • People with disabilities – wheelchair users, EnrichPlus • Older people – lifestyle village • Business community – Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce, Fonterra • We held focus groups to explore: • What would make local streets safer to get around? • Which streets are safe to cross and why? Which streets are hard/difficult to cross and why? • What would make them safer? • We used large coloured aerial maps of Te Awamutu town centre and surrounds • Coloured dots – green (safe) red (difficult/dangerous)

10. The maps

11. Safe • Designated crossing points • Raised centre median strips • Protective barriers • Good placement re: roundabouts etc. • Good visibility • Only one-way traffic to negotiate • Slower traffic, courteous drivers “I can cross without my mum” 10 year old • Unsafe • Speed/inappropriate speed • Multiple roads, cars coming from all directions • Lack of visibility • Not enough room for cyclist and vehicle • Poor indicating on roundabouts • Cobblestone courtesy crossing confusing/mistaken for pedestrian crossing • “…there are lots of cars and they go fast and I feel unsafe and I have to cross the road in one hit” • EnrichPlus

12. What would make local roads safer? • Reduce speed limit • Provide pedestrian crossings with a pedestrian island • More Police and speed cameras • More signage e.g. kids crossing • Improve visibility • Consult with those using wheelchairs to improve road design • Consider impact of curb extensions on cyclists • Change road design when not working e.g. remove turning opportunities • Education – indicate! • Bypass for trucks • Remove footpath clutter

13. What the Chamber said Liked… • Alexandra Street (designated crossings) • Arawata Street • Sloane Street The appeal of the main street is a major asset for people moving here; you can park get out of your car and walk around Didn’t like… • Te Rahu Road near Jack Russell Dr • Redoubt & Palmer • Benson – difficult for trucks turning • Mutu St by Christie Ave • Alexandra St by College • Rewi Street • Bank/Alexandra Streets Making streets safer • Create left turn only at Bank/Alexandra • Create left-turn only at Sloane Street (McDonalds) • Create central parking facility off Jacobs with access to Alexandra • Education for mobility scooter drivers re: danger to other pedestrians • Consider changes in light of demographic changes i.e. more older people • If town centre doesn’t work well then people will choose to go to the Mega Centre where there is a big carpark and shops • …anything that makes the main street more family or tourist friendly has to be beneficial

14. St Patrick’s Catholic School Research

17. What we recommended • (Council) commit to improving safety for vulnerable road users inside & beyond demo site • first determine risk factors e.g. road design, vehicle speed etc. • Strengthen combination of lower speed limits and traffic calming measures to improve safety • Create a defined pedestrian-safe-zone within a 1km radius of the town centre • Support findings from St Patrick’s Catholic School research • Install 40km/h variable speed limit • Install electronic sign • Install new pedestrian crossing (also supported by TA Primary) “Cars might not be speeding but they still went too fast when we wanted to cross the road”