The new Government's lukewarm stance towards an NZTA transport fund has sparked worries in a Hawke's Bay school community which was set to benefit from safety upgrades along with dozens of other schools nationwide.
In the bustling morning commute of Hastings, students making their way to Ebbett Park School face a journey fraught with risks.
Principal Kate Medlicott of Ebbett Park School voiced her concern over the many near-misses she sees: "We're very concerned. We see close calls every day."
One concerned student said: "There's a lot of cars that get close, and I get worried they might hit me."
Ebbett Park School is just one among more than 100 schools that stand to benefit from Waka Kotahi's Transport Choices programme.
The programme has facilitated essential safety measures around schools - like the installation of crossings on busy roads.
Speaking to 1News, Medlicott highlighted the significance of the crossing that's been installed outside her school.
"Our driveway enters and exits onto a very, very busy road," she said.
"It's taken a year and a half to get a safe crossing. Thank goodness we have because it's helped our community get to and from safely."
However, the New Zealand Transport Agency has paused funding for the Transport Choices programme after the recent election.
At Ebbett Park School, the suspension jeopardises plans for speed bumps and planter boxes along cycle lanes - crucial measures intended to bolster safety and encourage alternative transport options.
As a result, school leaders are urging for the funding to be reinstated before any accidents occur.
Medlicott said: "We are surrounded by main roads; it's the safety of our kids.
"The last thing I ever want to do is to phone a parent and say something has happened - it's my dread."
Speaking to 1News, Transport Minister Simeon Brown said he's working to lay out the Government's transport strategy and whether the programme will make the cut.
"We are going through the process at the moment," he said.
When asked how urgently he was moving, he said: "Hopefully as quickly as possible. I have to receive the advice, and consider that, and then make some decisions."
With approximately $20 million already invested in projects around 142 schools nationwide, the Greens say the programme will all be for nothing if it's stopped.
Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said: "These types of projects are a no-brainer, if you care about economic outcomes, if you care about traffic safety, if you care about kids and their wellbeing and environment. It ticks all the boxes."
Medlicott urged decision-makers to engage directly with the schools involved before considering stopping funding.
"Come and talk to us, come to our school, talk to our tamariki who have been involved, talk to staff on road patrol and understand what we are working with."
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