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Setting of speed limits rule

Submissions for this consultation have now closed. The Associate Minister of Transport has now signed the Rule, which can be viewed here: https://nzta.govt.nz/speed-limits-2017(external link).

Your feedback is sought on the (yellow) draft of Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits [2017] which determines how speed limits are set in New Zealand.

The proposed Rule will revoke and replace Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2003.

The proposed Rule is designed to contribute towards a better and safer travelling experience in New Zealand. It will introduce a modern and consistent approach to managing speeds across the country. This includes: 

  • Replacing a methodology developed in the 1960s with an approach that uses new technology and data to help assess and understand risk on the road.
  • Encouraging Road Controlling Authorities to target speed management to areas with the highest safety and efficiency benefit opportunities.
  • Enabling a maximum speed limit of 110 km/h to be set on our very best roads, recognising some modern roads can safely be driven at this speed.
  • Introduction of flexibility to requirements on the placement of repeater (or reminder) speed limit signs.
  • Allowing for emergency speed limits following a crisis, such as an earthquake or storm. This will enable immediate speed limit changes when there is a risk to the public. 

The yellow draft consultation documents, including the draft Rule, Overview and Q&A are available below.  (The Q&A have recently been updated to clarify a number of technical questions. To assist, the updated questions are in bold.)

The deadline for submissions was Friday 16 June, 2017.

For a physical copy of the consultation documents, or if you have any queries please phone the NZ Transport Agency contact centre on 0800 699 000 or email: rules@nzta.govt.nz.

Consultation documents

Overview

This overview accompanies, and sets in context, the public consultation (yellow) draft of Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits [2017].

Draft rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2017

Land Transport Rules are law produced by the NZ Transport Agency for the Minister of Transport. This is the public consultation (yellow) draft of Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2017 (Rule 54001).

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