Gisborne residents who successfully petitioned for slower speeds on some local roads are pushing for those changes to remain.
Councils have until July 2025 to reverse blanket speed limits that took effect on January 1, 2020, under a new rule by the Government.
Gisborne District Council is still working out which roads will need higher speed limits under the Government directive.
The changes also create variable speed limits around schools during pick-up and drop-off times.
Following two years of consultation, Gisborne introduced lower speed limits on some roads earlier this year.
Only months later, in September, Transport Minister Simeon Brown signed the new speed limit rule, with speed reversals due to come into effect in July 2025, and the variable speed limits around schools to come into effect in July 2026.
Gisborne residents who submitted their approval to the slower speeds during public consultation said they support the recent speed reductions.
Resident Gillian Ward said she hoped the people-orientated areas would keep slower speed limits, such as Grey St and Gladstone Rd.
“There was good consultation and the community was pleading along Wainui Rd for speed reductions because of accidents that were happening there,” she said.
“[The slower speed limits] are well-founded and they should stay in place.”
Hemara Donnelly said the speed limit reductions should stay, as drivers tended to exceed the limit by 20km/h, and it was important to protect elderly people who need more time to cross roads.
George Horsfall said he supported the lower speeds as they encouraged people to walk and cycle more.
Simeon Brown said earlier the previous government’s approach to road safety led to untargeted speed limit reductions and the new law would consider economic impacts, local community views, and safety.
Some councils are concerned it will cost them millions; Auckland Transport estimates the reversals will cost $25 million, as 1800 local roads need to comply with the new speed rule.
Gisborne Council director of community lifelines Tim Barry said they were still working through the Government guidance to decipher which speed limits might need to be reversed.
He said this required further decisions and directives from the council.
Barry said the council “did not apply speed limits in a blanket way” following the guidelines outlined in the previous government’s Speed Management Guide: Road to Zero.
Barry said early public engagement “aimed to strike a middle ground”, and feedback revealed significant support for lower speeds around schools, townships, beaches, and some growth areas.
A council chief executive report released this week said Gisborne’s speed limit bylaw amendments were made following consultation and only where there was public support.
“At this stage, reversals are only targeted at specified roads being ‘local streets’ and ‘urban or interregional connectors’.”
Exceptions also apply for cases where public acceptance is satisfied,” chief executive Nedine Thatcher Swann wrote in the report.
Of 154 submissions received in April 2022, just over a third (37%) wanted speeds reduced in some rural areas from 100km/h to 50-80km/h.
About a third (35%) agreed with reduced speeds in some rural and urban areas from 70km/h to 50 or 30km/h and from 50km/h to 40 or 30km/h.
Just over half (52%) agreed to set a new speed limit of 20km/h on Makorori and Kaiti beaches, while 58% agreed to variable speeds for some schools.
Barry said NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) provided funding for reduced speed limit signs.
“Signs in the central business district went to 30km/h to enhance the safety for pedestrians and cyclists and some rural areas saw reduced speeds from 100km/h to 80, 60, or 50km/h.
“These changes are applied to locations with recent crash history, new growth, or to better support walking and cycling.”
High-risk areas around some schools were reduced to 30 or 40km/h based on those roads, Barry said.
Brown, the minister, said councils would not be required to consult with communities to reverse the speed limits on local and arterial roads back to their 2019 speed limits.
According to the chief executive report, in Gisborne, out of 56 schools, 59% have reduced speed limits, with half of those in urban areas already having variable speeds. The other half are rural and have permanently reduced speeds.
Brown said the rate of deaths and serious injuries for school-aged children on roads around schools during pick-up and drop-off times is 2.7 times higher than at other times.
Road Controlling Authorities (RCA), such as councils, will need to identify which roads are affected by the rule.
Brown said he has been advised RCAs will be able to seek funding from the National Land Transport Fund.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
