Queenstown area school campus and road safety audits

Supporting Safer, Smarter School Travel in Queenstown Lakes

ViaStrada was commissioned by the Lightfoot Initiative to support the development of school travel plans across the Queenstown Lakes District. What began as planning advice for seven schools in the Wānaka and Queenstown areas soon expanded to include an additional six schools in Frankton, Shotover, Jack’s Point and Hāwea—bringing the total to 13 schools across the region.

The goal of these travel plans is to improve safety at the school gate, offer better travel choices for students and whanau, and contribute to overall student wellbeing. To support this, ViaStrada undertook a range of tasks including:

•    Providing good practice examples from across the schools audited
•    Conducting safety and accessibility audits on school campuses
•    Assessing road safety conditions on surrounding streets

We also developed online student travel surveys and a web map application to visualise photographic findings for each school. These tools helped identify barriers to safe and active travel and formed the basis for practical recommendations.

This work supports the Lightfoot Initiative’s broader mission: to reimagine transport in a way that serves people, communities, and the planet. ViaStrada is proud to be part of a project helping create safer, healthier, and more sustainable journeys for tamariki across the Queenstown Lakes District.

Read more about this project in the Winter 2025 edition of our e-newsletter.