Kāpiti Coast District Council formulates first Speed Management Plan; public views welcomed

Kāpiti's first Speed Management Plan is in the developmental stage. Photo / David Haxton

Would reducing the speed limit on Kāpiti roads to 30km/h, from a safety perspective, be the way to go?

It’s one of the possible options and a talking point in the community, especially after a few social media posts felt it was a done deal, as Kāpiti Coast District Council looks to formulate its Speed Management Plan.

The council is developing its first Speed Management Plan as part of the Government’s Road to Zero strategy to minimise road death and trauma.

All road controlling authorities in New Zealand are required, under the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022, to prepare a Speed Management Plan and seek community feedback on proposals.

The community is being asked for feedback on what a possible 10-year plan for Kāpiti would look like and provides a three-year implementation programme for “high-benefit areas” identified by Waka Kotahi — school zones, town centres and road corridors.

The plan has two parts — what the council is proposing to implement by the end of 2027; and options for consideration to assist planning beyond 2027.

By the end of 2027, council is proposing 30km/h limits around all local schools and marae as well as lower speed limits in Raumati South village, Waikanae Beach village, Waikanae town centre, Te Horo Beach, and Ōtaki’s Riverbank Rd.

But beyond 2027, to meet Waka Kotahi requirements, will be a “potential step change towards implementing safe and appropriate speeds on the Kāpiti Coast and will be guided in part by community feedback”, council said.

“Reaching the end state will take some time and will be the subject of future Speed Management Plans.”

The council is proposing to “install traffic-calming devices on relevant roads where infrastructure is required to complement safe and appropriate speed limits”.

But it has also “identified some possible options for transitioning to the end state”.

Those possible options include extending the speed limit buffer (30km/h) around schools to 1km for primary schools and about 2.25km for high schools, implement a 30km/h zone area for defined neighbourhoods, or “reduce speed limits on all roads within the Kāpiti district to safe and appropriate speed limits”.

The effects of this could be, for example: 40km/h — Kāpiti Rd, Mazengarb Rd; 30km/h — local roads.

Early poll results, asking if Kāpiti Coast District Council has got its first long-term Speed Management Plan right, showed that of 151 votes, by Monday 9am, 93 per cent said no, 5 per cent said yes, and 1 per cent were undecided.

Speed Management Plans will be reviewed every three years, the council said, to “allow for inclusion of requests for speed management infrastructure in the Wellington Regional Land Transport Plan funding bids”.

“The first deadline for funding bids is September 2023. As a result, the deadline for this Speed Management Plan to be finalised is September 2023. This will enable the inclusion of speed-related infrastructure in the 2024-27 Regional Land Transport Plan that signals to Waka Kotahi the projects for which the region is seeking funding. Planning for the review of the plan for inclusion in the 2027-30 Regional Land Transport Plan is likely to start in late 2025 or early 2026 to meet the estimated September 2026 deadline.”

Go to www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/SpeedManagementPlan to see the details and have your say.

Public consultation is open until June 9.