Between 2 April – 14 May 2025, we consulted with road users, councils, communities and iwi on 2 locations along State Highway 1 (SH1) Rakaia in Canterbury. We proposed to reconfirm a lower speed on an ‘urban connector’ and a project-related speed change.
Under the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024 (the Rule), specified sections of state highway, categorised as urban connectors with lowered speed limits, are required to automatically reverse to their higher speed limit by 1 July 2025.
NZTA received feedback on some urban connectors, including 1 in Canterbury, where the community was strongly in support of keeping the current lower speed limits.
Changing speed limits is a legal process. The Rule allows NZTA to set speed limits for roads under its control where there is alignment with the intent and requirements of the Rule.
After careful consideration, NZTA undertook new formal reviews of speed limits on these sections of road. The speed reviews included consultation, and considered safety, technical, cost benefit and other data, alongside community feedback to determine if we should reconfirm lower speed limits, as proposed.
The project-related proposed speed change was for the SH1 Rakaia Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre (CVSC). The Rule requires NZTA to undertake a targeted speed review and consult with the public where speed limits are proposed to change for new infrastructure.
More information on speed reduction reversals
NZTA would like to thank people for providing feedback during consultation. View the consultation summary report to understand the consultation outcome and how community feedback was considered alongside technical, safety and economic information.
More than 1,400 submissions were carefully reviewed, helping to shape final decisions that prioritise safety, the economic impacts of speed limit changes and that reflect local feedback.
Most people supported keeping the lower speed to protect pedestrians, especially children. NZTA technical and safety assessments align with this.
The road layout and crash risk modelling confirmed 50km/h is the safest option. NZ Police, council, and road safety groups agreed.
A new ISZ for Weavers Road has been approved. The ISZ will reduce speeds to 60km/h activated when vehicles turn on or off Weavers Road improving safety around the northbound Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre (CVSC) facility under construction. Feedback on the ISZ was mixed with people saying it would help with safer vehicle turning. There were some concerns including that journey times would be longer. Note the ISZ only activates when needed and will have minimal impact on travel time - 0.7 seconds per trip for most vehicles.
Canterbury consultation summary report [PDF, 1.8 MB]
View the SH1 Rakaia township Cost Benefit Disclosure Statement [PDF, 228 KB]
The following speed limits have been approved by the Director of Land Transport.
|
State highway section |
Approximate length (km) |
Existing speed limit (km/h) |
Reversed speed limit by 1 July (km/h) |
Approved speed limit from 1 July (km/h) |
|
SH1 Rakaia township |
1.13 |
50 |
70 |
50 |
|
State highway section |
Approximate length (km) |
Existing underlying speed limit (km/h) |
Approved speed limit (km/h) |
Effective from |
|
SH1 Rakaia |
0.3 |
100 |
60 (variable) |
1 July 2025 |
