The Government's proposal means all blanket speed limit reductions since January 2020 will have to be reversed on local streets, arterial roads, and state highways.
The Government's proposal means all blanket speed limit reductions since January 2020 will have to be reversed on local streets, arterial roads, and state highways.
Far North District Council [FNDC] is “seeking advice” on whether or not it must change the speed limits on hundreds of roads despite knowing the Government’s plans to reverse them.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced in December the Government planned to reverse the previous government’s mandated blanket speed limit reductions.
Those changes were solidified in June when Brown made public the new draft Transport Rule requiring speed limits that had been reduced since January 2020 to be reversed on local streets, arterial roads, and state highways.
While many speed limit reversals will be unavoidable, as they were done before the Government announcement, FNDC knowingly voted to push ahead with speed reductions on 300 roads in the wider Bay of Islands area.
The Northern Advocate understands the signs have already been ordered and paid for.
Far North Mayor Moko Tepania said the council was still working through the implications of the announcement.
“We will be getting technical advice from staff about what these proposed reversals will look like.
“This is applying to blanket speed restrictions, but the way we’ve gone about our proposals and consultations in the community ... we might not have to reverse them.”
Brown said the speed limit reversals were mandatory.
“The council will have to reverse blanket speed limit reductions which do not align with the new speed limit rule once it is in place.
“The Government has been very clear about what road controlling authorities such as councils can expect from the finalised speed limit rule.
“This is so councils can plan, prepare, and avoid wasting money on changes to speed limits that may need to end up being reversed under the new rule.”
Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced in December the Government planned to reverse the previous government’s blanket speed limit reductions.
Brown said the coalition Government’s approach to speed limits “was made explicit in the National-ACT coalition agreement”.
“I strongly encourage the FNDC to look at the statements the Government has made, and look to what the draft speed limit rule has proposed, before undertaking any changes to speed limits on local roads.”
In February, FNDC voted to go ahead with its speed management plan for the wider Bay of Islands area which includes more than 300 roads in Kerikeri, Waipapa, Ōpua, Paihia, Waitangi, Haruru Falls and Whangaroa.
The speed reductions cover a wide range of council roads and include Kapiro Rd, where residents have been lobbying to get the speed reduced from 100km/h to 70km/h for many years.
Far North district councillor Ann Court – who, along with councillor Steve McNally, voted against forging ahead with the speed limit reductions - said she was “frustrated” at the outcome.
Far North district councillor Ann Court said forging ahead with the speed limit reductions was a waste of ratepayer money.
“It’s not the best use of ratepayer resources. We could have held off for a few months because the policy is very clear.
“The draft rule says speed limit reductions on local streets must be reversed by May 1 next year.
“So we have to reverse them.
“It’s a waste of ratepayer money when $800,000 would go a long way to fixing potholes and other issues with the road.”
Court said every speed limit on every road lowered in the district since 2020 – including Kaitāia-Awaroa and Broadwood-Kohukohu which were done in 2021 - would need to be reversed.
“I can’t begin to fathom what changing the signage would cost,” she said.
Tepania said he didn’t believe pushing ahead was a waste of ratepayers’ money.
Far North Mayor Moko Tepania said the council was still working through the implications of the Government’s announcement to reverse speed limit reductions.
“We voted in favour of continuing with it because regardless the legislation still requires us to review speeds as the road control authority ... and there was huge community support.”
Northland Transportation Alliance (NTA) general manager Calvin Thomas said council staff were currently reviewing the new rule “to understand both the future intent and implications on previously completed speed limit reviews in Northland”.
It was important to note, that the proposed changes required a reversal of previous blanket speed limit reductions, and Northland’s three district councils “have not taken a blanket approach to the reviews completed over the last four years,” he said.
“Instead, each road has been assessed individually and any speed limit changes have only been finalised and implemented following each council’s full consideration of public feedback obtained during formal consultation processes.
“While we expect councils will be required to make some further changes or amendments to speed limits that have changed since 2020 ... the extent and actual streets impacted will not be known until the current rule consultation process is completed and the new rule is confirmed.”
As for state highways, speed limits across Northland’s entire network were set to be dropped from 100km/h to 80km/h in an attempt to reduce road fatalities.
The Government’s new speed rule would enable new and existing Roads of National Significance to be travelled on at 110km/h where they are built to a high safety standard.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi [NZTA] spokeswoman said after the proposal is finalised, NZTA “would identify locations impacted by the rule, and advise on next steps for speed limit changes on the state highway network”.
Consultation on the draft speed rule is open until July 11.
Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering roading, lifestyle, business, and animal welfare issues.
