Moves to reduce traffic speeds around schools were "a critical first step towards creating better lives" and a healthier city, University of Otago public health physician Associate Prof Alex Macmillan said.
"Our city can be a place children move around freely and independently, without parents being frightened for them all the time," she said.
Research showed being driven to school harmed children’s health and wellbeing, Prof Macmillan said.
University spokesman Hamish Cameron said a 2016 study showed children overwhelmingly preferred to get to school using an active mode of travel, rather than by car.
"Reducing urban speed limits needs to happen across more neighbourhoods, not just around schools, to ensure more children have safe routes all the way from their front door to school"
Prof Macmillan and Mr Cameron were two people who spoke at a hearing yesterday for Dunedin City Council’s interim speed management plan.
Proposed changes to speed limits were mostly around schools.
Some would have permanent 30kmh limits around them and others would have 30kmh limits that applied at times when pupils were being picked up and dropped off or they were walking and cycling to and from school.
Permanent 30kmh limits were also proposed for four urban centres — Mornington, Maori Hill, Caversham and the tertiary-education precinct.
Mr Cameron said the 30kmh zone around the university should cover a larger area.
"When it comes to lowering speeds on our streets to make it safer and easier for people who bike, walk, use wheelchairs or scoot to get around, it seems sensible to start doing this where there is already high active transport mode share."
Dunedin Area Citizens’ Association chairman Lyndon Weggery decried a 10kmh limit in George St and called a vote by a council committee that effectively ended attempts to have the design revised mid-project a travesty.
The association was opposed to mana whenua having voting rights on council committees, he said.
CCS Disability Action access co-ordinator Mary O’Brien said the revamped part of George St was now attracting more people with visible mobility aids, because of the improved environment.
The hearings committee made small changes to what had been proposed after public feedback and the plan is to go before the full council before it is signed off.
