Improving safety and accessibility outside Waioneke School in South Head Road, Helensville

About the project

We’re improving footpath safety outside Waioneke School to make it safer and easier for students to get to and from school during pick‑up and drop‑off times.

Right now, children getting off the bus don’t have a proper walkway, and in winter they often end up walking through muddy ground. The changes will give them a safe, clear path to and from the school’s drop‑off and pick‑up area.

Thanks to the Rodney Local Board Transport Targeted Rate programme, we’re able to build more footpaths in local communities like yours, to make it safer and easier for people, especially school children, to walk around.

The changes we’re making

• Install a new footpath starting from the end of the existing one at the school drop‑off/pick‑up area, extending up to just before the school parking entrance.
• Reconstruct existing footpath outside the school to ensure they meet the required footpath standards
• Install a new pram ramp with tactile pavers to make it safer and more convenient for people with mobility needs, those pushing prams or strollers, to easily access the school entrance. Tactile pavers are yellow guidance markers to assist vision impaired towards the school.
• Install a new retaining wall as support to the slope where the tall trees are

Benefits to your community

• Footpaths make it safer for the community by separating motorists and traffic from people on foot. 
• Well-maintained footpaths are safer for people, especially tamariki, who walk and ride their bikes and scooters, reducing the risk of being hurt or injured.  
• More footpaths make it easier and stress-free for the community to move around the neighbourhood, offering better connections to schools, parks, public transport and other local amenities.  
• Walking and cycling are good for the environment and good for your health. It helps reduce reliance on cars for local trips, decreasing traffic congestion and reducing our carbon emissions. 

What happens next

• We are looking at installing these changes by May 2026.
• We will contact residents and businesses before any work begins.
• Any change to the plan will be updated on this webpage

How to contact us

If you'd like to speak to someone about our plans, please email us at ATengagement@at.govt.nz by 20 February 2026.

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