Transit New Zealand has been delighted with the effectiveness of a new anti-skid surfacing called Safe Grip. The material, which costs four times that of standard seal, creates 40 percent more friction than standard seal. A trial on 800 metres of SH2 under the Petone overbridge in Wellington is credited with reducing crashes on the corner, rated by the AA as one of the country's 14 worst blackspots, from 11 in March 1998 to none at all for every month from April to October. Land Transport Safety Authority data indicates that since 1984 the bend has seen 200 crashes, 38.8 percent of them involving injury.

Buses are getting a boost in Auckland this month on Mt Eden and Dominion Roads as part of New Zealand's first bus priority schemes. Features of the schemes will include peak-time bus/bike lanes to separate buses and cyclists from car traffic at peak travel times; signal pre-emption to give buses the green light; new shelters and stops with real-time information about when to expect buses; and new, low floor vehicles.

Centralised, high quality landfills and rail transportation. That's the prescription from local government gurus Papakura District Council, Waste Management NZ Ltd and Tranz Rail following the opening of the $2.5 million Papakura refuse transfer station. Opened in November, the station will process 1000 tonnes of waste every month including recyclables. Papakura transfer station feeds all waste to the Redvale landfill.