Speed review processes

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.

Under the new Rule, any future reviews of speed limits around the country must be targeted to high-risk roads and outside schools, ensuring economic impacts including travel times, as well as the views of local iwi, councils, local road users and communities, are taken into account alongside safety.

This means some changes to the way Road Controlling Authorities (RCAs), including NZTA, undertake speed limit reviews, including the need to prepare Cost Benefit Disclosure Statements (CBDS) and meet new consultation requirements.

The new Rule provides a prescribed list of speed limits/ranges for each classification of road, so any speed limit changes would need to be at the specified limit or within the range.

If you would like us to consider a future review for a speed limit on a state highway, please send your request to  speedmanagement@nzta.govt.nz for consideration.

Guidance has been developed to help road controlling authorities (RCAs) including both councils and NZTA to interpret and apply the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024 (the Rule).

Guidance for RCAs

Setting of speed limits rule 2024

Note:

• Under the new Rule, any outstanding (previously approved) speed limit changes not yet implemented, and any draft speed management plans (such as the Interim State Highway Speed Management Plan 2022), have no legal effect. Reviews started under both these scenarios, but not yet implemented, will need to be reconsidered.
• Any other speed limit changes on the specified road categories subject to reversals (eg transit, rural, urban and interregional connectors), outside of the auto-reversals required under the Rule, cannot be implemented until 1 July 2025 onwards (i.e. after reversals are complete).