NZ Transport Agency reviews Rakaia speed limit after community backlash

Jonathan Leask, Local Democracy Reporter

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is reviewing the automatic speed limit reversal in Rakaia after facing a community backlash in the Mid Canterbury town.

NZTA confirmed it was considering options for consultation with the community, and the locals want to ensure it will be “face-to-face”.

It comes after Transport Minister Chris Bishop back-pedalled on some automatic speed limit reversals, including two sections of State Highway 6 in the Nelson area where consultation will now be held.

Under new government transport rules, urban connector roads like SH1 through Rakaia were set to automatically revert to higher speed limits. In Rakaia, the speed was set to increase from 50km/h to 70km/h.

An NZTA spokesperson confirmed the review of the Rakaia township speed limit “but don’t have a timeline yet for next steps”.

“NZTA acknowledges the concerns of the local community regarding the auto-reversal requirement at this location and is now considering options for initiating a new speed review process including consulting with the community.

“We are now considering next steps to review this location.”

Rakaia Community Association chairman Neil Pluck said he would prefer a face-to-face meeting with NZTA to discuss it rather than a faceless email process.

“Not until we are sitting at the table with them to have a civil discussion about things would I consider they are taking any thoughts from the people of Rakaia seriously.

“You would think when it’s a whole community at stake there would be a person involved.”

The speed limit was reduced in Rakaia in May 2024 after the community campaigned for a safer speed for 20 years, he said.

“It’s made a huge difference and it feels a lot safer”.

The Transport Minister issued two lists at the end of January – one containing 49 stretches of state highway for public consultation on whether to raise the speed limits and one of 38 areas automatically returning to higher speed limits.

The changes were part of a government promise to reverse the speed reductions brought in under the previous Labour Government.

Rakaia township was on the automatic list and set to go back up to 70km/h by July 1.

Bishop appeared to walk back the Government’s stance on the automatic reversals in Nelson last week when he said there would now be public consultation on two changes in the Nelson area and hinted there would be others.

“NZTA’s always had the discretion to engage with local communities and they’ll be doing that in relation to those two areas and there’s a couple of other examples around the country where there is local support for the speed limits to stay lower.”

He didn’t say which of the other reversals will no longer be automatic, but did mention Rakaia where the majority of the community, the council, and even Rangitata’s National Party MP, James Meager, have opposed the change.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.