The road cone digital hotline will wrap up on Friday 19 December, after the pilot project achieved its objectives six months early.
The hotline was facilitated by WorkSafe New Zealand and will close on 19 December 2025 at 12pm midday. Its objectives were to give the public a voice, identify the root causes of concern, and clarify WorkSafe's role in relation to temporary traffic management (TTM).
The pilot delivered on all fronts. Over six months, WorkSafe received more than 1,300 notifications, and worked with road controlling authorities (RCAs) to look into them.
The pilot found that 86% of sites visited were compliant with the use of cones and other temporary traffic management approved by RCAs in traffic management plans.
We identified the key issue is that the new risk-based guidance is not being applied by all councils. So while the use of road cones was largely in line with council-approved plans, they may still be excessive.
"The solution is ensuring consistent uptake of NZTA's risk-based guidance by everyone involved in temporary traffic management," says WorkSafe's chief executive, Sharon Thompson. "This approach supports RCAs and TTM contractors to make decisions based on what's best for the workers and work sites."
WorkSafe inspectors received training in TTM and took an engagement and education approach, which will continue as part of business-as-usual site assessments. The remaining contractor who worked on the hotline finishes on 19 December, and WorkSafe staff who worked on the project will be redeployed to other priority work.
WorkSafe will continue working alongside NZTA and the industry steering group to help ensure guidance is applied consistently and that risk-based approaches are well understood.
NZTA requires all councils to have a plan in place to apply the risk-based temporary traffic management guidance in December. All councils must be fully compliant with the guidance by 1 July 2027.
From 19 December, any concerns about road cone use should be directed to the relevant road controlling authority - which is NZTA for state highways and councils for local roads.
Press release from the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: Road cone hotline to close as pilot hits objectives | Beehive.govt.nz(external link)
