Police expect to be taking the softly-softly approach with new lower speed limits which have been put in place on the Clive route between Napier and Hastings.
The limits on State Highway 51, formerly State Highway 2 – most prominently the seafront highway south of Napier to Clive – were announced by national highways manager Waka Kotahi NZTA and took effect with signage put in place on Thursday night.
Speeds are now restricted to 80km/h, down from the long-standing limit of 100km/h.
Napier City Council speed limit bylaw changes lowering some limits in the city and its rural outskirts come into effect on Tuesday.
Eastern Police District road policing manager Matt Broderick said police are aware the former limit had been the same for many years and some motorists might take time to be accustomed to the change.
Some leniency would be shown in the early days with speeds marginally over the new 80km/h limit, but the same couldn't be said for motorists treading the pedal over the old limit and into the three-digit speeds.