Approval of proposed amendments

Following the hearing held on 03 February 2020. Council approved the proposed amendments to the bylaw at their extraordinary meeting on 06 May 2020. Making the streets safer where we live was the main driver behind these speed limit reductions.

This was the third year of a three-year plan to assess and consult on our district’s speed limits. The main areas of focus were Raglan, the Newcastle Ward (Whatawhata and Te Kowhai) and Tuakau.

There were other stretches of roads in the district that weren’t captured in previous years. As with those speed amendments, we followed the same tact this year for our urban residential areas and reduced speed limits from 50kmh to 40kmh. Additional areas of speed reduction were sought through the hearing process (Rotokauri area) and consultation on reducing those areas went out to residents. Feedback showed a majority for the status quo so the original proposed speeds were adhered to with a few minor extensions on roads where speed reductions were already proposed.

Why are we reducing the speed limits in our district? It boils down to this really - if a driver reduces his or her speed from 50kmh to 40kmh, the likelihood of a pedestrian or cyclist fatality as a result of an accident reduces from 85% to 30%.

These speed reductions won’t make you late for work or for an appointment – the areas that the amendments covered meant changes in length of journey time is miniscule.

Physical works to implement the new speed reductions are taking place over the next few months. Delays due to the covid-19 pandemic pushed the schedule of works out slightly. Keep an eye out for any new speed signs in your area.

Where are the speed limit reductions?

Click on the link below and zoom in on the map.

View the changes