Why did you have to set new speed limits?
When talking with iwi, the community, council, local police, road user groups and local businesses about making this stretch of road safer, some people raised concerns that current speeds felt too high to be safe.
Crash history has also shown that there is a safety issue on this road, with two people dying and six people seriously injured in crashes on these roads between 2009 and 2018.
A small change in speed makes a big difference, especially when cyclists or pedestrians are involved. Most crashes are caused by a number of contributing factors, but even when speed doesn’t cause the crash, it is most likely to determine whether anyone is killed, injured, or walks away unharmed.
What are the new permanent speed limits?
| Location | Previous speed limit | New speed limit (from 24 August 2020) |
|
SH1 Moerewa to Kawakawa – Moerewa township - from Leaity St to 330m east of Sir William Hale Crescent east, Moerewa |
70km/h | 50km/h |
|
SH1 Moerewa township to Kawakawa - from 120m east of Taumatamakuku Settlement Rd East to 160m north of Station Rd, Kawakawa |
100km/h | 80km/h |
How were those limits decided?
The speed review process involves numerous steps that help determine the speed limits we propose at consultation.
The first step is completing a technical assessment which takes into account the road itself, the traffic volumes, the crash history, and the way people are currently travelling on the roads.
Following the technical assessment, we undertook informal engagement with road user groups, members of the public, councils, AA, road transport associations, and the police. The feedback we received from engagement helped to determine if and what we would formally consult on for proposed speed limit changes.
During consultation we asked the community and others for submissions on any external factors we may need to be aware of. The consultation period ran for six weeks. Once consultation closed, we analysed the submissions and reviewed our technical assessment.
The consultation for the proposed speed limit changes was not a vote. It was about seeking valuable local and community input so that we could consider wider factors and context in our decisions.
For more information about how we reached these decisions, read our consultation summary report.
Consultation summary [PDF, 545 KB]
Learn more about the speed review process
Setting new speed limits is a legal process, and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency as a Road Controlling Authority (RCA) is responsible for setting new speed limits on New Zealand’s state highways. We are guided by the Speed Management Guide, which is a national framework that helps RCAs make informed, accurate and consistent speed management decisions in their communities. We also need to adhere to the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2017, which sets out the roles and responsibilities of the RCAs for reviewing and setting speed limits.
Speed Management Guide [PDF, 7.4 MB]
Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2017
When did the speed limit changes come into effect and how was the public being notified?
The new speed limits took effect on 24 August 2020.
The public was notified of the new permanent speed limits on the Waka Kotahi website, through local advertising, and on social media and new speed limit signs went up on the day.
How many crashes have happened on the route?
There were 43 crashes on this stretch of road in the 10 years from 2009 to 2018. Two people died and six people were seriously injured.
A small change in speed makes a big difference, especially when cyclists or pedestrians are involved. Most crashes are caused by a number of contributing factors, but even when speed doesn’t cause the crash, it is most likely to determine whether anyone is killed, injured, or walks away unharmed.
Won’t the new lower speed limits mean the trip will take a lot longer?
The new permanent speed limits have a minimal impact on travel times. Over the 5.17km route from Moerewa to Kawakawa, the increase in travel time is approximately 18 seconds.
Did you consult with the public on these changes?
Yes. In October to December 2019 we formally consulted with the public on the proposed permanent speed limits. We received 117 submissions across the two proposed speed limit changes from stakeholder organisations and public.
