A new approach to setting speed limits on New Zealand roads has been finalised by the Government and came into force on 30 October 2024. This also includes a change for setting speed limits outside schools.
Setting safe speed limits around schools improves safety for all children and families travelling to and from school.
Under the new rule, by the 1 July 2026, we need to work with schools that have gates alongside a state highway to install variable speed limits of 60km/h or 30km/h depending on the road environment the school is located on. These would be set during drop-off and pick-up times.
Variable speed limits are displayed on electronic signs that can be switched on and off at specific times. Under the new Rule, these times are at the start and end time of the school travel period, not exceeding 45 minutes either side of the bell. School variable speed limit signs may also be activated for up to 10 minutes at other times when there are significant numbers of children around (for example when arriving at or leaving a sports day). This approach targets times when children are most active around the school gate.
NZTA is working through what this means for each school located on a state highway and plans to contact school communities in 2025.
