Aucklanders to have their say on speed limit changes

Aucklanders will be able to have their say on a proposal to lower the speed limit on 10 per cent of the city's roads.

Reducing speed limits will help towards ending Auckland's "road safety crisis".

Auckland Transport is proposing to drop speeds on the majority of the streets in the central city from 50km/h to 30km/h.

Chief executive Shane Ellison said safety was the primary concern for them.

"In 2017, over 800 people were killed or seriously injured on Auckland's roads. These are real people and the human cost of these tragedies are real as well."

The proposed bylaw will be put out for public consultation from Thursday, February 28 until March 31 and could be in place by August.

Hundreds of streets are on the list and the majority are in or around Auckland's CBD, including Wynyard Quarter and surrounding areas such as Freemans Bay and St Heliers.

AT chairman Dr Lester Levy says lowering speeds is one of the quickest and most effective tools the organisation has to reduce road trauma.

"Auckland is facing a road safety crisis and our top priority is to address this," he said.

While the Automobile Association supports efforts to bring down speeds on high-risk roads, it will be calling on AT to dial back its proposal.

Spokesman Barney Irvine said the clear message from Auckland AA Members is that, in its current form, it's a step too far.

"People are pretty open to the idea of safer speeds in the central city, but a blanket 30km/h limit just doesn't pass the credibility test," he said.

"On top of that, the Transport Agency and its Speed Management Guide recommend 40km/h for most roads in the CBD, and AT has shown no evidence to say we need to go below that."

The AA will therefore be calling on AT to instead opt for a 40km/h CBD limit.

Ellison says if you are a pedestrian and you are hit by a car travelling at 50km/h your chance of dying is 80 per cent.

"If that speed is reduced to 30km/h and you're hit as a pedestrian - your chances of dying drops to 10 per cent."

Levy said recent research from Monash University in Melbourne showed a significant difference between 40km/h and 30/km/h.

"In a trial they've undertaken in Melbourne, where they were going to do 40 - they've now reduced it to 30."

He said the World Health Organisation also recommends 30km/h when there is a high residential population and high pedestrianisation.

"This is very much in line with research and international practice."

There are also changes proposed outside of the central city.

Rodney Local Board member Louise Johnston said they did not have footpaths, traffic lights or pedestrian crossings - but they have 80km/h roads next to schools.

A crash on the motorway last year still haunts her.

She says a year 12 girl is lucky to be alive after she was hit by a truck at the Coatesville and Riverhead Highway intersection.

After that accident, she said AT changed the speed to 60km/h and there have been significantly fewer accidents there.

"I'll remember that, and everyone who was there and heard the screams will remember that for the rest of their lives as well."

Public consultation on the proposed plans is open for submissions tomorrow until Sunday 31 March.