Road speed limits in South Wairarapa are back in consultation mode and on the redrawing board. A council memo has advised it has a fresh (or dusted off) road speeds plan which “identifies the changes to speed limits” and “an implementation plan” for “some roads.”
“Our approach prioritises speed management around schools and marae, as well as high-risk routes, where we believe speed limits should be lower,” it notes.
“… we need the right speeds on the right roads for all road users, whether you are walking to the shops, biking to school, or driving to work.” The same speed limit review work was done in 2023.
Public consultation has opened – for a second time – after central government imposed a new Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024.
That Rule makes council “responsible for implementing the rule on their respective roads, including state highways and local roads,” the statement added.
The Rule also means fresh consultation on the issue, as community involvement “ensures that speed limits are set in a way that considers the actual use of the roads for all road users, including drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists,” it said in the statement, issued under the authority of Tim Langley, Principal Advisor, Roading.
A timeframe outline shows consultation during June and early July, with hearings scheduled for July and deliberations/decisions in August.
Any local decisions for speed limit changes must be signed off by NZ Transport Agency officials.
