40km/h limit on 100 Hamilton streets

Almost every school in the city is now part of a 40km/h speed zone. The limit will also apply to streets which have high numbers of vulnerable road users. Photo / Dean Purcell

The speed limit on more than 100 streets in Hamilton is to be reduced to 40km/h from next month as part of a project aimed at protecting vulnerable road users.

The move, approved by Hamilton city councillors this week, is part of the national demonstration project for safer speed areas and makes the city one of the first in New Zealand to reduce the speed limit on suburban streets.

A Hamilton City Council spokeswoman said the city had wanted for a long time to reduce vehicle speeds around schools and on other streets which had a high number of vulnerable road users.

"Almost every school in the city is now part of a 40 km/h speed zone and this demonstration project means that Hamilton will be one of the first places in the country to introduce 40km/h speed limits in areas other than around schools."

Each of the eight areas designated 40km/h featured at least one school within or near its boundaries.

The areas - which have been named after streets they include - are Barrington (in Huntington), McNicol (in Fairfield), Ngaere (in Chartwell), Willoughby (in Whitiora), Lethborg (in Dinsdale), Heath (in St Andrews), Howell (in Hillcrest) and Tamihana (in Fairfield).

A safer speed area is defined as a set of streets where the danger to people is deemed too high if vehicles travel at the existing 50km/h speed limit.

Most of the areas back on to schools and serve a range of purposes as well as a transport function, including where people might be exercising, walking dogs or going to the shops.

A resident in the Tamihana area, Peta Goldsworthy, said the reduced speed limit had to be enforced or it wouldn't work.

"Hamilton City Council has been very good about installing traffic-calming measures in recent months but these have not stopped hoons or motorists using our streets as a rat-run.

"I would hope we would see some enforcement alongside the introduction of the new speed limit to make the area safer, particularly for neighbourhood children."

The decision followed recent consultation with the community and key stakeholders, including the Automobile Association, the Road Transport Association and Waikato Regional Council, which included the distribution of more than 1000 leaflets and an awareness campaign.

Only 20 submissions were received, half in support and half opposed.

The council's strategy and policy committee chairwoman, councillor Maria Westphal, said that she was pleased to see the project approved.

"Reducing speed limits by just 10km/h on our local streets will bring significant road safety benefits to all road users, particularly children on their way to school, cyclists and walkers."

Ms Westphal said slowing the traffic in residential streets was intended to re-claim the streets for their residents.

"The difference between knocking someone over at 40km/h and 50km/h is a life."

The council worked with the NZ Transport Agency and police to pull the project together and received funding from the Road Safety Trust.

The speed reduction starts on October 17 and signs and road markings would show where the eight areas are.

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www.saferspeedarea.org.nz