Transport options  |  23 Mar 2020

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Children have been involved in making plans to walk, scoot or bike safely to the new Redcliffs School campus.

The school’s former site was demolished following the February 2011 earthquake and construction of its new $16 million campus on Beachville Rd began in 2018.

The new school – Te Raekura Redcliffs School - will open in early May and Christchurch City Council has been working closely with staff and parents to help them develop a travel plan for the new site.

Roading improvements are being carried out on Main Rd and Beachville Rd in Redcliffs to make it safer for pedestrians to cross, including a median island extension, kerb and channel re-alignment, a new footpath, new school patrol zebra crossing and a new pedestrian island.

It’s planned that this infrastructure work will be completed by a Council contractor in April, before the new school opens.

Council staff have worked with Redcliffs school students on their ideas for a new travel map that pin-points travel times, meeting places for a walking bus, and crossing points. The map has been designed and printed and provided to the school to use as flyers within the school and the wider community.

This work is part of the School Travel Planning Programme offered by the Council.

Redcliffs School Principal Rose McInerney says because students have been heavily involved in the active travel plans they feel part of the process.

“We’ve had projects happening across the school and we have an Active Transport Group of 14 eight to 13-year-olds who brainstormed how they could encourage their friends to get together and get to school actively.

“We had a map team and some kids made a claymation video about the benefits of walking or biking to school and presented it at assembly. They’ve really owned it rather than just being told to keep safe, and it’s been amazing.”

Mrs McInerney wants to remind local residents and motorists to be vigilant when the new school opens. “There will be more children on the Main Rd and a new pedestrian crossing and school patrol will be in place with a reduced speed zone. We just want them to slow down, be cautious and concentrate. Look out for our kids and be patient with them when they make mistakes as well.”

Council Manager of Transport Delivery and Planning Lynette Ellis says the co-operation between staff and the school has been very successful.

“We want to make sure that the move is as seamless as possible and we’ve been working very closely with the school to make sure any concerns are addressed.

“Everything we can do to make the new location safe for children and their families is being done and we’re very keen to make sure local residents and motorists are aware of what’s happening and taking extra care.”