Speed limit changes approved and roll out
Approval of the Interim Speed Management Plan (ISMP) for Gisborne district is on Waka Kotahi's website
The ISMP enables changes to speed limits to be applied for prior to mid-2024 when full speed management plans come into force under the ministry of land transport speed setting rule.
Here's the report to Operations Committee on 3 August that was approved for roll out.
Roll out of the reduced speed limits on local roads starts from 1 September 2023, with priority given to schools and townships. The areas include:
- Wharekahika
- Muriwai
- Te Araroa
- Tokomaru Bay
- Okitu
- Makorori
- Taruheru subdivision
- Whatatutu Road
- Industrial subdivision
- Riverpoint Road
- Kaiti Beach Road
- Wainui
- Te Puia Springs
- Tikitiki and Rangitukia
- Waerenga-o-Kuri school
- Lavenham Road
The speed limits on state highways are separate and under Waka Kotahi.
Council adopts amended bylaw
Council adopted the amended Speed Limits Bylaw on 11 August 2022.
The amended bylaw will reduce speeds on around 12% of our local roads. To implement the new limits staff are now going through a certification process with Waka Kotahi.
In Tairāwhiti the changes adopted by Council included:
- Reduce speeds in some rural areas from 100km/h to 80, 60 or 50km/h where there’s new growth, recent crash history or to support walking and cycling and where there’s support shown from residents
- Reduce speeds in some rural and urban areas from 70km/h to 50 or 30km/h and from 50km to 40 or 30km/h to support walking and cycling, with support shown from residents.
- Set new speed limits on Makorori and Kaiti beaches.
Initial proposal to amend the speed limits
Proposal to amend the Speed Limit Bylaw 2013 to reduce some speed limits on local roads in the Tairāwhiti district.
This is to align with the national direction on speed management and speed limit setting from Waka Kotahi introducing 20, 30, 40 and 60km/h speed limits.
Following community engagement last year on our Draft Speed Management Plan and with guidance from Waka Kotahi (NZ Transport Agency) on Safe And Appropriate Speeds (SAAS) for Tairāwhiti, we have drafted the following changes to the bylaw.
We propose to amend the speed limits on approximately 12% of local road. The state highways are excluded and are under separate review by Waka Kotahi. The proposed changes include:
- Reduce speeds in some rural areas from 100km/h to 80, 60 or 50km/h where there’s new growth, recent crash history or to support walking and cycling and where there’s support shown from residents.
- Reduce speeds in some rural and urban areas from 70km/h to 50 or 30km/h and from 50km to 40 or 30km/h to support walking and cycling, with support shown from residents.
- Set a new speed limit of 20km/h on Makorori and Kaiti beaches.
- Set new variable speeds to some schools of 30 or 40km/h.
Options considered
Preferred option - Option 3: Amendments to the schedules to effect speed limit changes to approximately 12% of the local road network.
Wait until the new rule comes into force before consulting on the proposed plan.
There is further guidance on how to consult and engage with the community under the new rule coming soon.
This option would allow more time for the development of guidelines to inform how we consult.
Currently our only guidelines are to consult as if it were a bylaw.
Further delays to the new rule are still a risk. Consulting later in the year is a risk due to local government elections then.
Engagement was carried out in May 2021 and there has already been significant delay to the many requests from the community for speed limit improvements.
Engagement with the community in May 2021 focused on a step change for speed limits with a broad-brush approach across the region affecting most roads accept some arterial roads.
| Road environment | Current speed limit | Waka Kotahi NZTA safe and appropriate speed | Our proposed speed limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gisborne CBD | 50km/h | 30km/h | 30km/h |
| Residential roads | 50km/h | 40km/h | 40km/h |
| Rural roads - sealed | 100km/h | 80km/h | 80km/h |
| Rural roads - unsealed and sealed roads that are arduous to drive | 100km/h | 60km/h | 80km/h |
| Arterial roads - such as Ormond, Lytton, Stanley, Rutene and parts of Gladstone Rd | 50km/h | 50km/h | 50km/h |
Feedback rejected the broad-brush approach opting for changes in specific locations such as the CBD, townships, schools, areas of growth/change for safety and wellbeing benefits from walking and cycling and areas where there were safety concerns.
In particular, it was controversial for Council to propose 80km/h as a step change to unsealed rural roads and sealed roads that are arduous to drive which did not align with SAAS 60km/h.
Although less that the current posted speeds of 100km/h, 80km/h was seen by Police and Waka Kotahi to be promoting an unsafe speed. The community typically felt the proposed speeds were too slow and would lead to more unsafe roads with driver frustration.
Speed limit changes to approximately 12% of the local road network as detailed in the amended speed limit bylaw. In accordance with the reasoning provided.
Proposed speed limit reductions
| Change to speed limit | Area | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| 100km/hr to 60km/hr |
| In rural areas where there is new growth, recent crash history and/or support shown from residents. |
| Change to speed limit | Area | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| 100km/hr to 80km/hr |
| In rural areas to support walking and cycling and support is shown from residents. |
| Change to speed limit | Area | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| 100km/hr to 50km/h |
| In rural areas where there are already signs, high growth and/or support from residents |
| Change to speed limit | Area | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| 100km/h to 30km/h |
| In rural areas to support walking and cycling and support is shown from residents. |
| Change to speed limit | Area | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| 80km/h to 60km/h |
| In rural areas to support walking and cycling and support is shown from residents |
| Change to speed limit | Area | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| 70km/h to 30km/h |
| In rural areas to support walking and cycling and support is shown from residents. |
| Change to speed limit | Area | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| 70km/h to 40km/h |
| In rural areas to support walking and cycling and support is shown from residents |
| Change to speed limit | Area | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| 70km/h to 60km/h |
| In rural areas to support walking and cycling and support is shown from residents |
| Change to speed limit | Area | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| 50km/h to 30km/h |
| In recently improved urban areas where there is already signage and traffic calming in place to support walking and cycling and support is shown from residents. |
| Change to speed limit | Area | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| 50km/h to 40km/h |
| In areas to support walking and cycling and support is shown from residents. |
| Change to speed limit | Area | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| New 20km/h to Special Designated Areas |
| Support is shown from residents. |
| Change to speed limit | Area | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| New Variable Speeds to schools of 30km/h, 40km/h or 60km/h | 30/40km/h variable
30/50km/h variable
40/50km/h variable
60/100km/h variable
| In areas to support walking and cycling and support is shown from residents. Scho |
