FAQs
- Moves away from the 10-year long-term speed management approach
- Reviews speed limit changes made after 1 January 2020
- Mandates implementation of variable speed limits near schools instead of permanent speed limits
- Introduces new road classifications and updated guidance for setting speed limits
- Requires additional cost-benefit information for proposed changes during consultation.
- Investment in infrastructure to ensure our roads are designed and maintained for safe use.
- Providing more genuine choice for getting around to reduce the reliance on cars.
- Supporting behaviour change through education programmes and promotional activities aimed at all road users and travel types.
- 30km/h variable speed zones will be introduced for all schools by July 2026.
- These changes are not subject to consultation.
- Safe school zones
- Support consistent speeds
- Safe active road users.
Does going a few km/h faster or slower actually make a difference to safety?
Yes, it does. Speed is one of the biggest reasons why a simple mistake can turn into a serious crash. The faster you're going, the higher the chance someone could be seriously injured or killed. No matter what causes a crash, speed makes a big difference in the outcome of a crash.
What about previous consultation on speed limits?
In October 2023 we sought public feedback on our Speed Management Plan under the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022.
Feedback was sought on the overall vision, the three guiding principles, and proposed speed changes.
However, when the new Government came in, Councils were directed to stop work on their speed management plans and to wait for guidance under a new speed rule.
In October 2024, the government introduced its Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024 (‘2024 Rule’) superseding the 2022 Rule.
What's different about the 2024 Rule?
When will speeds change?
The first step is to hear from the community. We will consider feedback and use it to finalise our Speed Management Plan for adoption by the full Council.
After that, we need to progress through NZTA certification and entry into the National Speed Limit Register.
Once signage has been installed, the speed limits will have legal effect and can be enforced by the NZ Police. There will always be education ahead of any changes taking place.
It is expected that any approved changes will be implemented from mid-2026 onwards.
What about state highways?
State highways are managed by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.
However, our local road network can’t be considered in isolation. Our roads connect to state highways, other local roads on our district’s boundary, and roads administered by Te Papa Atawhai | Department of Conservation.
Where our roads connect, we will work with our partners to align speeds to support network consistency and a common road user experience.
You can let us know if there are sections of the state highway network that should be considered for speed limit reviews. We will be collating this feedback and submitting it to NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi for their consideration.
You can also provide feedback on speed limit changes on state highways directly to NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi at:
Can I provide feedback on roads not listed here?
At the end of the consultation survey, you can tell us what other roads you think should be considered for future speed limit reviews.
Due to guidance under the Setting of Speed Rule 2024, only roads included in the Speed Management Plan are able to have new speeds implemented. We will keep a record of any community feedback on additional roads, and we’ll use this feedback to shape the next plan.
What else are you doing to create safer roads?
There are a number of important tools, including:
However, safer speeds are more affordable and faster to implement than building infrastructure or changing existing road designs.
What about speed limits around schools?
Legislation requires safe speeds around our schools by July 2026.
This means:
What is a speed management plan?
A speed management plan is used to create safer streets for all road users, not just vehicles. It is about people and having options for locals and visitors to safely travel around the district.
A speed management plan improves road safety by reducing crashes and protecting vulnerable users. It enhances community wellbeing through quieter, safer streets that support walking and cycling. It can reduce environmental impacts like emissions and noise, save on social costs related to crashes and improve traffic efficiency.
Our vision is that every person can travel safely and efficiently in our district. This is supported by three principles to guide the setting of safe and appropriate speeds in our district:
How often will the Speed Management Plan be reviewed?
We plan to review the district’s speed limits every three years; however, based on public requests and feedback, we may consider doing so more frequently.
What are cost benefit disclosure statements?
It is a requirement under the Government's 2024 Speed Rule for each proposed speed limit change to include a cost-benefit disclosure statement.
This is an analysis of the impact of each proposed change in terms of safety benefits, travel time, and implementation costs.
These cost-benefit statements are included as Appendix 2, under the Documents tab.
What are the social costs of a crash?
Social cost is reported by the Ministry of Transport Te Manatū Waka. It represents the total cost of road crashes across the country, taking into account loss of life and quality of life, loss of productivity, as well as medical, legal, court, and vehicle damage costs.
How were roads selected for this consultation?
Roads were selected based on crash data, community feedback from earlier consultation, direct correspondence from commercial road users and developers, and support from Police and Fire and Emergency New Zealand.