Residents of the east Christchurch suburb of Bromley have told us of problems caused by traffic in the area. This action plan reflects the issues reported by the community, proposes a range of solutions and sets priorities to make the neighbourhood streets safer for all who use them.
Addressing these issues has been a priority for the Waitai Coastal-Burwood-Linwood Community Board, which states:
“The community have strongly advocated to the Community Board that they do not feel safe on the roads in the Bromley area and that they have tragically experienced loss of life, making this a significant priority.”
Waitai Coastal-Burwood-Linwood Community Board Plan, 2022
Community engagement
We have listened to the community to better understand their concerns – what the issues are and the locations most affected.
A Bromley traffic working group was established with community representatives, and we have met with the school and kindergarten communities and residents.
We worked with the Community Board to set priorities and in December 2024 the first suite of traffic calming and pedestrian safety improvements were approved for Bromley Road and Keighleys Road.
The Bromley neighbourhood borders an industrial area and includes several cemeteries, and a primary school and a kindergarten. Over time, it has transitioned from a largely rural area in the 1940s, to a residential and developing industrial area through the 1950s. Through the 1960s to today, both the residential and industrial areas intensified. As land-use has changed over many years, road-use has also changed – to the extent that they are not being used as intended or as designated in the Christchurch District Plan. This is a problem particularly where ‘local’ roads, intended mainly for residential traffic, are being used as ‘collector’ roads or ‘arterial’ roads, which are intended to carry more traffic and more heavy vehicles. The map below shows local, collector, and arterial roads. People report feeling unsafe using the streets, especially as pedestrians and cyclists, and have asked for measures to slow traffic on roads through the suburb and make them safer for everyone, whether travelling by vehicle, by bike, or on foot. Wide carriageways, sweeping corners, poorly aligned intersections, and the number of heavy vehicles in the area all contribute to an environment that makes residents feel unsafe. Local roads, such as Keighleys and Bromley roads, are designed for residential use, not for high volumes of traffic or heavy vehicles. However, many drivers use these roads to cut through Bromley to get to the neighbouring industrial area. The community identified speed as the main issue on the stretch of road outside Bromley Primary School, as the road is being used as a short-cut for drivers wanting to avoid the busier arterial roads. Hay Street is a collector road, intended to carry more traffic than a local road, but not designed for high volumes of traffic or for heavy vehicles. It is an older, wider road and this can tempt drivers to increase their speed – a significant issue raised by residents. The seal on this section of Hay Street is in poor condition. Our data shows that significant sections of the road foundations are nearing the end of their life. When this renewal work is done, the deep-dish channel and road drainage issues would also be addressed to resolve issues raised around accessibility and flooding. This section of Hay Street is a bus route (155 Eastgate to Lyttelton). While the road here is in better condition, speed is an issue identified by the community. The Bromley neighbourhood borders an industrial area and includes several cemeteries, and a primary school and a kindergarten. Over time, it has transitioned from a largely rural area in the 1940s, to a residential and developing industrial area through the 1950s. Through the 1960s to today, both the residential and industrial areas intensified. As land-use has changed over many years, road-use has also changed – to the extent that they are not being used as intended or as designated in the Christchurch District Plan. This is a problem particularly where ‘local’ roads, intended mainly for residential traffic, are being used as ‘collector’ roads or ‘arterial’ roads, which are intended to carry more traffic and more heavy vehicles. The map below shows local, collector, and arterial roads. People report feeling unsafe using the streets, especially as pedestrians and cyclists, and have asked for measures to slow traffic on roads through the suburb and make them safer for everyone, whether travelling by vehicle, by bike, or on foot. Wide carriageways, sweeping corners, poorly aligned intersections, and the number of heavy vehicles in the area all contribute to an environment that makes residents feel unsafe. This map shows the main roads through the Bromley area, and the uses they were designed for (as designated in the Christchurch District Plan). While most drivers use these roads as intended, some roads are carrying more traffic and heavier vehicles than they should be. Data shows this is a particular problem for the route along Keighleys Road, from Linwood Avenue and into Bromley Road, to Maces Road. This map shows the speed data gathered on streets in the area. This data supports the concerns of residents that speeds are too high, contributing to the fact that many feel unsafe using roads through the area. Throughout Christchurch we have used various traffic calming measures. In Bromley, we propose a mix of speed humps, intersection narrowing, pedestrian refuge islands, and clearer road markings. The first suite of Bromley works were approved by the Community Board on 9 December 2024 and will be completed in the first half of 2025. Work will include installation of speed humps to slow traffic along Bromley and Keighleys roads. Other work in Bromley will be scheduled as funding becomes available, through our annual planning and long-term planning processes. It will be similar to work completed elsewhere in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Safe speed humps (as shown in the photo below) are used throughout the city as a cost effective way to reduce speeds and improve safety for everyone. In some locations around Christchurch, we narrow intersections to make it safer for everyone to use. Sometimes (like in the photo below) this includes using pedestrian refuge islands and kerb buildouts. In the first half of 2025 we will complete traffic calming work on Bromley and Keighleys roads. This work has been identified in community feedback as a priority. It will reduce traffic speeds, limit heavy vehicle use, and improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians, especially outside Bromley Primary School. The Community Board will need to advocate for funding in the annual plan and long-term plan for this to progress, and we urge Bromley residents and people who visit or travel through Bromley, to get involved in any resulting community consultations. If you think the works are important and want to see them completed make sure you let your Community Board know(external link). As funding becomes available, we will continue to work with the Community Board and residents to prioritise other works to improve safety for people living in or travelling through Bromley. This table shows how the Bromley Streets Action Plan [PDF, 76 KB] might work.
The concerns
Keighleys Road | Bromley Road
Keighleys Road | Bromley Primary School
Hay Street
Hay Street (Linwood Avenue to McGregors Road)
Hay Street (McGregors Road to Ruru Road)
Traffic and heavy vehicle volumes
Vehicle speeds
Traffic Calming | Speed humps
Intersection narrowing
Future works