"Our technical review shows a reduction in speed at schools and townships will reduce deaths and serious injuries on these corridors.
"We also know that there is a strong desire within local communities to see lowered speeds in areas where there are school students and in growing towns and villages with increased road and foot traffic."
The Awanui Straight on SH1 has been a stretch of road local businesses and Far North district councillor Mate Radich have long been campaigning to reduce speed.
In particular, the stretch of SH1 from Wireless Rd to North Rd near Kaitaia's Pak'nSave has been of particular contention, with locals fighting to have the speed changed from 100km/h and 70km/h to 50km/h.
Under the speed review, Waka Kotahi is proposing to drop the speed from 100km/h to 80km/h from 300m south of Gills Rd to 60m north of Wireless Rd.
From 60m north of Wireless Rd to 220m north of North Park Drive, the speed will drop further from 100km/h and 70km/h to 60km/hr.
Finally, from 220m north of North Park Drive to 65m south of North Park Drive, speed will be reduced from 70km/h to 50km/h.
Councillor Radich said he didn't agree with dropping the speeds to 80km/h on a lot of the state highways, but thought more could be done to reduce speed on the Awanui Straight.
"I think changing the speeds on other stretches of the state highway network to 80km/h is going to frustrate a lot of drivers," Radich said.
"In fact, I think it's going to make the problem of speeding worse.
"With regards to the Awanui Straight, I think the speed should be reduced to 50km/h from Wireless Rd, not 60km/h," Radich said.
"We already told Steve Mutton that and he said he would go away and review it, but he hasn't listened and went ahead with 60km/h anyway."
In response to the speed reviews, the National Party released a statement saying it welcomed the Government's decision to back down on its proposed "blanket speed reductions" on all state highways in Northland.
National's MP for Northland, Dr Shane Reti, and transport spokesman Simeon Brown said the backtrack was important because it was clear a more targeted speed reduction programme around schools and town centres was a more sensible solution.
"The Government's proposal to reduce the speed limit on every state highway across Northland to 80km/h would have significantly impacted the region," Brown said.
"Slower travel times and increased costs for freight operators would have ultimately been passed on to Northlanders when Kiwis were already enduring a cost-of-living crisis.
"What Northland really needs is better roads across the region and while it is good news this blanket speed limit reduction has been dropped for now, it is concerning that the Government is keeping it under consideration."
Far North District Deputy Mayor Ann Court remained sceptical regarding the proposals and Waka Kotahi's backdown on the blanket 80km/h.
She said on the surface it would appear that was the case, but details in the speed review fine print indicated otherwise.
"My initial thoughts on the proposals were that the proposed speed limits [for schools, maraes and townships] seem to align with the public feedback," Court said.
"But buried in the fine print of these proposals, it states speed limits on the open-road sections of the 11 corridors are still being considered.
"If we become complacent then this could still be done to us rather than with us."
The consultation period on the Northland Speed Review closes at 11pm on Tuesday, June 14.
• To have your say, go to: www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/northland-auckland-speed-reviews/
