Report on Pedestrian and Cyclist Road Safety Framework Work Programme 2004-2006 Part 2

Standards and Guidelines

A Pedestrian and Cyclist Standards and Guidelines Programme began in 2003 to support framework implementation by providing best practice guidance to those involved in planning and providing for pedestrians and cyclists. Safety is a key consideration within this work.

The programme has included development of three formal guides, and a number of further projects to support improved walking and cycling environments.

Guidelines  

• Road Traffic Standards (RTS 14): Guidelines for facilities for blind and vision impaired pedestrians, completed in September 2003. In early 2004 workshops were held around New Zealand at which over 200 people attended. A revision of this document is planned for 2007 which will include minor improvements to the guidelines based on experience, research and feedback received since 2003. Many of the concepts in RTS 14 are being included in the Pedestrian Planning and Design Guide, where all the diagrams will reference and comply with RTS 14.
• Cycle Network and Route Planning Guide, completed and distributed in September 2004.⁸ This aims to develop and promote a consistent, world's best practice approach to cycle network and route planning throughout NZ. The guide sets out a process for deciding what cycle provision, if any, is desirable and where it is needed.
• Pedestrian Network Planning and Facilities Design Guide, provides guidance on the planning of pedestrian networks and the design and implementation of pedestrian facilities. It aims to ensure that the network and individual facilities provided for pedestrians are appropriate, safe and consistent with current international design standards. This guide is in the final stages of editing and will be ready for publication in 2006.

Guidelines are developed in conjunction with the Standards and Guidelines Steering Group (SG2). This is an industry group comprising representatives from Local Government New Zealand, Transit New Zealand and Land Transport NZ, established to co-ordinate the development of standards and guidelines. Stakeholder groups also provide input into the development process.

Guidelines are intended to be living resources that will be updated and added to over time.

Training courses are provided to industry practitioners such as engineers and transport planners on new guidelines.

Further projects

• Walkablility Review - an investigation of how the walking environment can be quantified. This document is the final stages of review and is expected to be ready for publication in 2006.
• Cycling Environment Perceptions Project - a project to determine how cyclists feel about different facilities. This project is linked to similar studies in the United States and United Kingdom. A trial and pilot have been completed and an analysis of different models is currently underway. A Cyclist Level of Service Project is planned to follow, focusing on development of cyclist level of service compatibility review and tools.
• RCA Benchmarking Programme - development of an ongoing approach and tools to support RCAs in assessing and improving their efforts for walking and cycling. Currently in an early development phase, this project has been identified as a key initiative under the Getting There Strategic Implementation Plan 2006-2009.
• Vulnerable road user audits - review of the road safety audit process with regard to vulnerable road user audits and trials.  This project is in the first stages of a trial phase.

Share the Road

In a number of countries including Australia and the United States, 'share the road' programmes have been used to encourage the development of a culture where motor vehicle drivers, cyclists and pedestrians respect each other's differing needs, thereby effectively sharing the available road space. It is based on the principle that, when given clear and useful information about what it means to effectively share the road, road users (cyclists, motor vehicle drivers and pedestrians) will alter their on-the-road behaviour in favour of increased courtesy, co-operation and safety. Initial research conducted by Land Transport NZ indicated that behavioural change and injury reduction can follow 'share the road' programmes. 
The Share the Road project has involved:

• an international literature review and the gathering of information on New Zealand 'share the road' initiatives;
• identifying a series of indicators for good practice local campaigns;
• establishing initial priorities among New Zealand's 'share the road' issues (cycle courtesy, speed, give way, driveways), and identifying desired motorist and pedestrian/cyclist behaviours related to these priorities; and
• developing, in association with potential users, a Share the Road Tool Kit for local use, containing two initial booklets, Share the Road Campaign Guidance and Share the Road Project Examples.

The toolkit was published in September 2006 and can be found on land Transport NZ's website. 

Further investigation to support development of a national-level Share the Road Programme is planned under the Getting There Strategic Implementation Plan 2006-2009. This will also further explore the role of enforcement in share the road campaigns. 

Pedestrian and cyclist integration into road safety work programmes

The incorporation of pedestrian and cyclist perspectives into road safety work programmes is critical to the successful delivery of the Pedestrian and Cycle Road Safety Framework. Examples of an increased focus on achieving this integration are provided below.

Speed management

The reduction of motorised vehicle speed is critical to achieving the government's road safety goals. It is also critical to improving pedestrian and cyclist safety, particularly in urban areas.
A new approach to speed management was developed in late 2004, following discussion amongst a wide variety of stakeholders, including walking and cycling interests. This approach recognised the opportunities for roading authorities to use speed limit setting rules to reduce speeds in urban areas and this is increasingly occurring.
 
Vehicle safety

Improving the safety of the vehicle fleet is also critical in improving long term pedestrian and cycling safety outcomes. Although traditionally focussed on crash avoidance and occupant protection in the event of a crash, the impact of crashes on pedestrians and cyclists is assuming a higher profile. The aggressivity of different vehicles towards pedestrians is now for example regularly reported in information campaigns to promote the purchase of safer vehicles for all users.

School Road Safety Education

The School Road Safety Education Working Group has developed a School Road Safety Education Strategic Plan 2006-2009 which builds on the group's working paper entitled School Road Safety Education - The Setting. The purpose of this plan is a collaborative approach to School Road Safety Education (SRSE) which requires the use of resources - expertise, capability and commitment - of the partner agencies (and other contributors) to be used in such a way to improve school based road safety education. Two initiatives focus on cycle and pedestrian training which include the development of best practice standards and the potential expansion of training programmes nationally.
 

 

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Footnotes:
8 - Note: this is a companion document to the AUSTROADS Guide to Traffic Engineering Practice - Part 14: Bicycles (GTEP Part 14) that can be downloaded from the Transit New Zealand website. Copies of RTS 14 and the Cycle Network and Route Planning Guide can be downloaded from the Land Transport NZ website or requested from Lyndon Hammond.

Download the full document:

• Pedestrian and Cyclist Road Safety Framework (PDF v7.0, 113kb)