July speed limit rises under review on four Far North state highway sections

Speed limits along SH1 in Kaitāia are being reviewed, not long after they were lowered, as part of a government directive.

Four more stretches of Far North state highway are being reviewed just a few years after they were lowered due to safety concerns.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi said that formal speed reviews will be undertaken for 16 additional sections of state highway which had been scheduled to automatically revert to previous higher speed limits, including four in the Far North.

Under the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024, sections of state highway that are classified as urban connectors where speed limits have been lowered since January 1, 2020, are required to automatically reverse back to their previous higher speed limit by July 1.

The speed limits had been lowered by the previous government due to concerns over safety, but the current government wants the speeds raised again to support economic growth and boost productivity.

However, some road safety campaigners have questioned the decision.

Under review is:

• SH1 Kaitāia, from north of Wireless Rd to north of North Park Dr where the speed limit is 60km/h, down from 100km/h and 70km/h.
• SH1 Kaitāia, from north of North Park Dr to south of North Park Dr where the speed limit is 50km/h, down from the previous 70km/h.
• SH11 Te Haumi, from north of Smith Camp Rd to south of Tohitapu Rd, with a speed limit of 50km/h is also being reviewed with the previous limit 80km/h.
• SH1 Moerewa, from east of Leaity St to east of Sir William Hale Crescent - 50km/h likely to return to 70km/h.

Vanessa Browne, NZTA group general manager transport services, said after the list of auto-reversal locations was published in January, NZTA received feedback on urban connectors where the community wants to keep lower limits.

“We can confirm that formal speed reviews on these urban connectors will now be undertaken.”

The formal speed limit reviews will include public consultation, which will be open for six weeks from early April 2025. Further information will be available when consultation opens, including an online consultation survey.

Once the consultation is completed, NZTA will analyse the feedback, alongside technical data and cost-benefit analyses, before final decisions are made.

Consultation on speed limit reviews on four other stretches of Far North state highway closed earlier this month. NZTA consulted on four sections of highway at three locations in Northland - SH10 Kaingaroa (north and south sides), SH1 Moerewa to Kawakawa, and SH1 Hūkerenui.

The outcome of that consultation has yet to be released.