Speed Limits Bylaw 2019

This consultation is now closed.

What’s this about?

We are required to review all speed limits in the District under the Government’s Road to Zero National Road Safety Strategy.  To do this, we are undertaking a road catchment based rolling review of speed limits.  Our initial focus is on high-benefit roads where better speed management will reduce serious injury and fatal crashes.

Why are we doing this?

Speed limits on many of our roads were set when limits were restricted to 50 km/h in urban areas, 100 km/h in most other places and 70 km/h on a few semi-urban roads. As a result, our speed limits do not always match the road environment. In some cases, we have 100 km/h speed limits on narrow, unsealed roads with one-lane bridges and poor visibility on corners. Our district has also grown, and traffic volumes have changed.
We need to ensure we all get to our destination safely.  Better speed management is one way of making our roads safer.  Other ways of improving safety include better engineering, safer cars and improving driver education.  Government and Council are working on these other options as well, but they take time (and are costly), and we need to reduce serious injuries and fatalities on our roads now.
There were 7,409 reported crashes in Northland between 2014 and 2018. Speed was a factor in 20% of these crashes and a factor in 30% of 733 death and serious injury crashes. Communities throughout the Far North are asking us to reduce speed limits.

Where are we in the review process?

Okaihau-Kaeo-Waimate Review Area: The Council has completed a review of this area and it adopted a Recommendations Report at its meeting on 21 May 2020.  New signage, required engineering works and changes to the Speed Limits Bylaw are currently being undertaken.  The new speed limits in this area will come into force on 25 January 2021.

Kaitaia-Awaroa and Kohukohu-Broadwood: The Council has started initial background work needed to review this area.  It is expected that we will engage with local communities in early 2021.

Bay of Islands and Kerikeri:  A review of speed limits in this area is now scheduled to commence early in the second half of 2021.

How can I have a say?

You will have an opportunity to provide feedback on all proposed speed limits before we make final decisions.  We will publicly notify any proposed speed limit changes in local newspapers and on this web page and through other Council communications.  Notification will include a Statement of Proposal that sets out what we are proposing and how to make a submission.