Cash boost for safe, active transport

Plans to extend safer walking and cycling measures from the Railway Reserve to Waimea Rd have been boosted by $1.4 million in Government funding.

The funding will go towards expanding the ongoing road layout changes from the reserve and Kawai St South to Waimea Rd at Hampden St to form a safe, active transport corridor for students, hospital staff or visitors, and pedestrians.

Nelson City Council started the initial Streets for People project in Tipahi St and Kawai St South, with bright paint on the road (including bees and flowers), speed humps, and other traffic-calming measures.

Nearby Nelson Intermediate was consulted during the planning phase and its principal said much of the work, which was criticised by some as ‘‘childish’’, was implemented in response to input from students.

Monitoring before and after the first phase of the installation showed speeds outside the Nelson South Kindergarten reduced by 37.5% and traffic through the area reduced by 30%.

Streets for People projects around the country have proved controversial, but chair of the council’s regional transport committee Brian McGurk said the overall response from the local community had been positive. The project won the 2021 3M Traffic Safety Innovation Award.

McGurk said it was ‘‘inevitable’’ that there would be concerns with changes like those trialled in the project, but the positive reception was promising.

‘‘On Kawai St South, we had great support from residents, the intermediate school and local kindergarten, who were all thrilled to see reductions in speed on their streets,’’ he said.

‘‘Now we want to extend that success, so we start to link up some of the most travelled areas of our city.’’

The project fitted into the council’s overarching plans for regional transport, future development and traffic speed management, and would directly contribute to the E Tu Whakatū active transport plan due to be adopted by the council this month, the council said, in particular the goals to reduce vehicle kilometres travelled, reduce transport emissions, and doubling the number of commuter trips made by biking or walking by 2030.

The extension of the project also had the support of Te Whatu Ora, with local general manager of finance, performance and facilities Eric Sinclair endorsing the council’s ambitions for the area.

‘‘Improved walking and biking paths between the Railway Reserve and Waimea Rd will make for a safer commute for those who walk or bike to work, and encourage more people to take up active travel,’’ he said.

‘‘We look forward to working closely with Nelson City Council on improving walking and cycling links around Nelson Hospital.’’