To look at ways we can make the high crash-rate intersection safer for all road users, the first step was to conduct a survey with the local community. The survey was to understand how safe they felt it was, what the main issues were with it, and how they felt it could be made safer.
Overview of survey
A survey was conducted during September and October 2021. There were 434 responses to the survey from people using or living near the roundabout at the intersection of Riddiford, Rhodes and Mansfield Streets and Russell Terrace in Newtown. Most responses were online, though some mailed in the survey form left in community hubs nearby.
Most respondents agreed the roundabout was of concern, with 56% of drivers saying they didn’t feel safe using the roundabout. At the same time, 63% didn’t feel it was cycle friendly and 73% didn’t feel it was pedestrian friendly.
Most gave their main reason for not feeling safe as vehicle speeds, and other drivers not giving way when they should or not indicating correctly. A few reported being involved in a crash at the intersection, and many more reported near misses.
You can find more detail about the survey responses here:
Newtown roundabout survey results (170KB PDF) | Powerpoint version (700KB PPTX)
Next steps:
- Explore options to mitigate key safety issues and improve pedestrian and cycling facilities: February–April 2022
- Evaluate the feasibility of the options: April–July 2022
- Engage the public with short-list of options: August 2022
For any additional queries or information please contact the Transport and Infrastructure Team at newtownIntersection@wcc.govt.nz