- Why did you have to set a new speed limit?
- What is the new permanent speed limit?
- How was that limit decided?
- How many submissions supported the proposed speed limit?
- When does the speed limit change come into effect and how are the public being notified?
- How many crashes have happened on the route?
- Won’t the new lower speed limit mean the trip will take a lot longer?
- Did you consult with the public on this change?
- People called for the lower speed limit to be extended south of Winchester. Why was this not done?
Why did you have to set a new speed limit?
There were a number of safety issues with the state highway in this location, these had also been raised by the community. They included concerns about the speed of vehicles at intersections on this road.
What is the new permanent speed limit?
The existing 50/100km speed limit on the north end of Winchester will be extended a further 190m so the new 50km/h limit will start 140m north of North Street.
How was that limit 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 a technical assessment, we engage with road user groups, members of the public, councils, the AA, road transport associations, and the police. The feedback we receive from this helps determine if and what we will formally consult on for proposed speed limit changes.
During consultation we ask the community and road users for submissions on any external factors we may need to be aware of. The consultation period runs for a minimum of 4 weeks. Once consultation closes, we analyse the submissions and review our technical assessment.
The consultation for the proposed speed limit changes is not a vote. It is about seeking valuable local and community input so that we can consider wider factors and context. For more information about how we reached these decisions, please read our consultation summary report.
Consultation summary report [PDF, 930 KB]
Learn more about the speed review process
Setting new speed limits is a legal process, and Waka Kotahi 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
How many submissions supported the proposed speed limit?
People were not asked whether they supported or did not support the proposed speed limit. We provided information on why we were proposing this speed limit. The public were asked if there were any other factors we should take into consideration when setting the permanent speed limit.
Consultation summary report [PDF, 930 KB]
When does the speed limit change come into effect and how are the public being notified?
The new speed limit takes effect on 30 October 2020. The public will be notified of the new permanent speed limit through the newspaper, on the Waka Kotahi website, and on social media. The public will see the new speed limit signs up from 30 October 2020.
How many crashes have happened on the route?
On both the current 50km/h and 100km/hr sections of SH1 in Winchester, in the last ten years there have been 15 crashes resulting in five people receiving minor injuries.
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 limit mean the trip will take a lot longer?
The permanent speed limit will have a minimal impact on travel times. Extending the 50km/h speed limit 190m further north will increase travel time by around 14 seconds.
Did you consult with the public on this change?
Yes. Between 7 October – 4 November 2019 we consulted with the public on the proposed permanent speed limit. We received 62 submissions.
Consultation summary [PDF, 930 KB]
Consultation submissions [PDF, 186 KB]
People called for the lower speed limit to be extended south of Winchester. Why was this not done?
Some of the feedback we received during consultation was that people wanted the 50km/h limit to be extended further south of Winchester on State Highway 1 to allow for safer access to the local school and campground. The southern end of Winchester is a rural and peri-urban area. The changes to the current speed limits are intended to strike the right balance by providing safe and appropriate speeds that are also consistent and match the surrounding environment.
Consideration could be given to reduce this to 80km but extending the 50km limit to the south is not supported by the technical assessment recommendations due to the lack of roadside environment development there currently.
