Wellington CBD speed limit proposal seeks public views

Wellington CBD. File photo / Mark Mitchell

A proposal to lower the speed limit in Wellington's central city to 30km/h is open for public comment from tomorrow.

Wellington City Council has proposed extending the lower speed limit already in place on the Golden Mile to a wider area to improve pedestrian and cycle safety.

Councillor Andy Foster said the council was seeking public views on the reduced speed and on the boundary of the safer speed area.

Under the proposal, most arterial roads, such as the harbour quays, Cable St, Wakefield St, Vivien St, and Kent and Cambridge terraces would stay at 50km/h.

Most other central city streets around the Courtenay Place and Cuba St precincts, part of The Terrace and between Lambton Quay and the railway station would change to 30km/h.

Mr Foster said there was a perception most crashes happened on the Golden Mile, which includes Lambton Quay, Willis St, Manners St and Courtney Place.

But 531 crashes occurred on other central city streets from 2008 to 2012, with 117 resulting in injury, Mr Foster said.

"Of the 57 crashes involving pedestrians, 55 resulted in injuries, and 27 of the 37 crashes involving cyclists caused injuries."

Cyclists and pedestrians have much greater chance of surviving a crash at lower speeds, he said.

To read the proposal and make a submission, go to the council's website under 'Have your say'. Submissions close on March 9.