New speed limits for State Highway 6 between Hope and Wakefield, Tasman District, will come into effect on 30 July, 2021.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has set permanent new speed limits following extensive engagement and consultation with the communities of Hope and Wakefield as well as road user groups, local councils and the NZ Police.
“Ensuring speed limits are safe and appropriate for our roads is one of the ways we are helping to create a safer transport system, so that when people do make a mistake it does not cost anyone their life,” says Waka Kotahi Director of Regional Relationships Emma Speight.
Between 2009 and 2018, three people died and 18 were seriously injured in crashes on this section of highway.
Waka Kotahi thanks all those who provided feedback on the speed limit changes.
“The insights from everyone who provided a submission or feedback on the proposal helped us in our technical review and as a result we have been able to make an informed decision on these speed limit changes,” says Ms Speight.
“We want everyone who uses our roads to get to where they’re going safely. Even when speed doesn’t cause the crash, it’s what will most likely determine whether anyone is killed, injured, or walks away unharmed from that crash.”
This speed review is aligned to New Zealand’s Road Safety Strategy, Road to Zero, and a programme of work delivering safety improvements, including speed management, on our highest risk intersections and roads across New Zealand.
From Friday, 30 July 2021 the permanent new speed limits are:
| Location | Current speed limit (km/h) |
New permanent speed limit (km/h) from 30 July 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Hope Township. Existing 70km/h area, from approximately 320m south west of Norman Andrews Place to approximately 800m south west of Ranzau Road East. | 70 | 60 |
| Hope to Brightwater. Existing 100km/h area, from approximately 800m south west of Ranzau Road East to approximately 300m south west of Clover Road West. | 100 | 80 |
| Brightwater Township. Existing 80km/h area, from approximately 300m south west of Clover Road West to approximately 380m south west of Ellis Street. | 80 | NO CHANGE |
| Brightwater to Wakefield North. Existing 100km/h area, from approximately 380m south west of Ellis Street to approximately 440m north east of Bird Lane. | 100 | 80 |
| Wakefield North. Existing 70km/h area, from approximately 440m north east of Bird Lane to approximately 310m north east of Franklyn Close. | 70 | 60 |
More information on the permanent speed limits and our consultation summary, including submissions can be found on the project website:
SH6 Hope to Wakefield speed review
About Road to Zero
Road to Zero, New Zealand’s road safety strategy, sets out the goal of reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads by 40 percent by 2030.
This is the first step towards Vision Zero – where no-one is killed or seriously injured on our roads.
Reaching that initial target would mean fewer than 230 people killed on our roads and reducing the number of people seriously injured on our roads to fewer than 1,700 by 2030.
Last year, 2020, 318 people were killed and more than 2,500 were seriously injured on New Zealand roads.
