School Street: Improving safety for children walking to and from Rānui Primary School
Engagement outcome
Thank you to the Rānui community and school whānau who reached out to provide insights and ask questions about our planned "School Street".
After careful consideration, we are proceeding with the project as planned.
We are looking at having this implemented at the start of the next school year (2026).
Raw supportive comments from the community
- "I think this is a brilliant idea!"
- " We are in full support of this initiative to keep our school community safe. We have seen the school community trying at great lengths to manage traffic safely. We have also seen the enduring efforts of the school to secure more permanent safety measures..."
"Amazing idea, well done to the school and AT working together on this. I have lived near this school for 17 years and seen the struggle for safety in this zone. The children's safety is most important. Ranui Primary is an amazing school, and as a neighbour of the school 100% support this initiative."
Here is the summary of insights received through our comment box and our response to them:
- Suggestion for more signages and upgrades to the existing crossing in the area
- Request to make safety upgrades to the main road before closure
- Request for additional speed calming measures
- Request to look at how these changes will align with the planned improvements along Rānui Station Road
Auckland Transport is currently progressing a plan to make more safety improvements outside the school, along Rānui Station Road. This includes the installation of zebra crossing, speed humps and red surfacing on the approaches to help reduce vehicle speeds.
We will ensure these upgrades are fully integrated with the planned "School Street" to achieve visibility and safety for students outside the school gate.
- Request to create efficient drop- off zone so parents and students wont need to walk or park too far from the school
We understand mornings can be busy for many whānau, and we considered a monitored drop-off zone. However, after reviewing the goals and logistics of the School Street, we’ve decided not to include a dedicated drop-off area.
The main reason is safety—School Streets are designed to reduce cars directly outside the school, creating a calmer environment for children. Drop-off zones can still cause congestion and pose safety risks, especially on narrow streets. Instead, we encourage families to park a short distance away and walk the last few minutes together.
Engagement closed
The engagement for this project has now closed and we will inform the community about the engagement outcome soon.
About the project
We're responding to requests from Rānui Primary School to formalise closing a section of Rānui School Road during school pick up and drop off times, making it a “School Street”. This makes the street an official no-access area during specific times.
Illegal parking near the school gate during busy hours in the morning and afternoon creates safety and accessibility issues for students and residents.
The changes we’re making
- Setting up cones from outside #1/18 Rānui Station Road, indicating a barrier all the way to the cul-de-sac during school drop off (8.30am to 9.15am) and pick up times (2.30pm to 3.15pm)
- Installing “School Street” signs to show the time the road is being closed during school days
Restricted access is for non-residents during the scheduled times. There will be an assigned staff member managing the traffic cones to ensure access for residents.
Benefits to your community:
- Ensures tamariki can walk safely outside the school gate especially during busy hours
- Gives everyone a better view of the road as the area outside the school is always kept clear
- Relieves traffic issues and congestion for residents during pick up and drop off hours as parents and caregivers can only park outside the restricted section of Rānui School Road.
What happens next
- We are looking at installing these changes Term 4 of this school year.
- Any change to the plan will be updated on our website.
- We encourage the community to monitor and observe the impact of these changes and provide feedback once the “School Street” is in place, so we can address concerns and make improvements as needed.
How to contact us
If you'd like to speak to someone about our plans, please email us at ATengagement@at.govt.nz by 2 October 2025.
Feel free to share your local insights or if there's anything we've missed, by clicking our comment box below.
