Torbay Town Centre safety improvements Torbay Town Centre safety improvements
Auckland Transport (AT) is working alongside the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board to make changes to roads in the Torbay Town Centre in order to improve safety and accessibility for all road users.
Project status: Construction – completed. New speed limits came into effect on 30 November 2020.
Project zone: North.
Project overview
Torbay Town Centre’s final piece to its safety puzzle will be complete soon, in order to improve safety and accessibility for all road users, especially children and people walking and cycling.
80% of all road deaths and serious injuries occur on 50km/h local urban roads. Nearly half of those deaths and injuries involve vulnerable road users – children, the elderly, people walking and people on bikes or motorcycles. AT is committed to making the roads safer for all road users and these changes will help improve safety for people walking and cycling including school children.
Reason for safer speed limits
We believe town centres are places for people and should be viewed as destinations rather than thoroughfares. Torbay Town Centre is no different and people should feel comfortable moving around the town centre, visiting local shops and businesses.
Roads aren’t just for cars. Other road users should feel comfortable to share the road with vehicles. Safer speeds encourage people to share the road.
Research has shown that the maximum speed the human body can withstand during impact is 30km/h. Any faster than this and the chance of surviving or being able to walk away from a crash without a serious injury, is significantly reduced. We want all people to be able to return home to their friends or family at the end of the day.
Town centres generally have higher pedestrian numbers than other urban areas. The recent safety upgrades which were made to Torbay in partnership with the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board, compliment safe speeds well. They have assisted in creating the slower speed environment which supports the safety of everyone.
Find out more about the Safe Speeds Programme.
What happens next
From 30 November 2020, safer speed limits will come into effect on two roads in the town centre. These speed limits are part of the changes which were consulted on as part of the Speed Limits Bylaw 2019.
The roads selected for speed management are aimed at making Torbay Town Centre a safe place for all road users, especially vulnerable road users. This includes children, elderly people, people with disabilities and those who are walking or cycling.
Prior to the date the speed limits come into effect, you may see new speed limit signs being installed at the entrances to the town centre that will be unveiled on the day. There will also be new ‘30’ road markings painted on the road at the gateways which have already been installed, to signal the point where the speed limit changes.
We will be in touch with local residents and businesses prior to the speed limits changing to make sure people are aware.
For a full list of the roads in Torbay changing from 50km/h to 30km/h from 30 November 2020, please check the table below.
| STREET | DESCRIPTION |
| Beach Road | Between 5m south of County Road and 24m north of Deep Creek Road. |
| Toroa Street | Between Beach Road and 25m east of Beach Road. |
Improvements we have made
- A new zebra crossing on the raised table on the southern side of the Beach Road/Toroa Street roundabout.
- Built out the kerbs near the Beach Road and County Road intersection, the Beach Road and Toroa Street intersection and north of the Beach Road and Deep Creek Road intersection to help encourage slower vehicle speeds upon entry to the town centre.
- Moved the bus stop on Beach Road opposite Chand Indian Restaurant by a few metres to enable buses easier access to the bus stop.
- Introduced three 30 minute waiting spaces (P30) on Toroa Street near its intersection with Beach Road.
Learn more about speed calming measures and their benefits.
The speed calming measures have created a slower speed environment which will work together with the speed limit reductions to create a safer environment.
Timeframe
The speed limits will change on 30 November 2020.
These improvements are part of AT's commitment to reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 60% over the next 10 years.
Public consultation
Before we made these changes, we wanted to understand if there are any issues or concerns that need to be taken into consideration, what you think about the proposal and any changes you would like to make. Your local knowledge will give us a better understanding of the area and help us make improvements.
Feedback closed Friday 14 December 2018.
Public feedback report
We received 74 submissions on this consultation. Feedback was mixed with some being satisfied that the proposal would decrease speeding in the village and make crossing the road safer.
Others were concerned around lack of provision for cyclists or a perception that improvements are unnecessary. There was also concern that parking removal would be detrimental to businesses.
Key themes to emerge were:
- 23 people (31%) do not want car parking removal
- 22 people (30%) feel the design lacks provision for cyclists. 18 of these people (24%) feel that cycle lanes should be installed
- 17 people (22%) are concerned about the safety of the car parks on the roundabout – for vehicular and cycle traffic - and have asked for these parks to be removed
- 16 people (21%) requested pedestrian crossings at other locations; 10 of these people requested a crossing by the 4 Square; four suggested on the Toroa St leg of the roundabout and two suggested one is needed at Deep Creek Rd
- 11 people (15%) commented that the previous AT work in the village was disruptive and are concerned about any further work occurring
- 12 people (16%) do not think the village needs these improvements; is sufficiently safe as is; has enough crossings.
Consultation outcome
Auckland Transport (AT) in partnership with Hibiscus and Bays Local Board has read and reviewed all feedback received during the consultation. We will proceed with the changes to improve safety, however as a direct result of feedback we have made the following amendments to the proposal:
- We will upgrade the pram crossing on Toroa Street to a zebra crossing.
- We will install a new additional raised pedestrian crossing outside Four Square. This will require the removal of three on street car parks.
- We will build out the footpath near the bus stop at the southern end of Beach Road to improve space for pedestrians and enable better bus manoeuvrability.