Speed limit reduction reversal on the cards in Gisborne

This 30km/h speed limit, implemented last month outside the Gisborne District Council buildings, could be reversed when the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024 is finalised. The T-section of Fitzherbert St, Stout St and Peel St features multiple different speed limits in the space of a block - 30km/h on Fitzherbert St heading toward Peel St Bridge; 50km/h on the other side of the road heading towards the Ormond Rd roundabout; 40km/h on Stout St heading away from the council buildings; and 30km/h on Stout St heading towards the council buildings. Photo / Paul Rickard

Blanket speed limit reductions will be reversed by July 2025 under the coalition Government and this could result in increases on some Gisborne roads.

The draft Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024 proposes to reverse speed limit reductions made since January 2020 on local roads where limits have been reduced to 30km/h, and on arterial roads.

This newly proposed legislation could mean Gisborne District Council reverses speed reductions implemented in various parts of the district only last month.

Acting GDC community lifelines director Dave Hadfield said the council had just completed a two-year consultation process to review speed limits across the district.

“The feedback from the community is they did not want a blanket reduction approach across the district but targeted areas around schools, rural townships and some areas outside of the Gisborne city boundary where we have an increase in housing developments,” Hadfield said.

“Many residents have campaigned hard for lower speed limits in these areas, especially around schools for a few years, so they were happy to see the signs go up.

“But until we know the final plan, it’s difficult to comment at this point in time.”

Local Government New Zealand expressed concerns about the proposed changes in a letter addressed to Ministry of Transport chief executive Audrey Sonerson.

“The proposed new system is inherently biased towards the speed limits set before this date, regardless of whether those limits were informed by evidence or robust consultation with communities.

“The costs will be particularly acute for smaller councils or those with particularly large roading networks,” LGNZ vice-president Campbell Barry said in the letter.

LGNZ said the proposed variable speed limit outside schools appeared impractical, as it added cost and complexities to councils, while not accounting for the increased pedestrian activity around schools outside the stated hours.

“One council from a small city told LGNZ this change could cost anywhere between $100,000 to $810,000 in replacing signs alone, with most of this variance depending on whether the replacement signs were static or electronic,” Barry said in the letter.

Minister of Public Transport Simeon Brown told Local Democracy Reporting the Government was doing this to ensure that when speed limits were set, economic impacts and the views of road users and local communities were taken into account.

“Speed limit reductions on rural state highways since that date will also be reversed unless there is demonstrated public support to keep the lower speed,” he said.

Under this policy, it could mean a speed limit reversal on the likes of State Highway 2 at Muriwai and Manutuke, which was lowered to 80km/h in 2020.

Brown advised that once the speed rule was finalised, road controlling authorities such as councils would need to identify roads with limits that would need to be reversed.

Brown said the Government would also require variable lower speed limits outside schools during pick-up and drop-off times to ensure the safety of children arriving and leaving school.

“It makes no sense at all to make a shift worker heading to work at 4am crawl along at 30km/h with a permanent speed limit reduction,” he said.

Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) East Coast regional chairman Jason Devery said the group did not have a nationwide stance on the topic.

“But the safety of tamariki, staff and whānau are crucial during the hours that children are in the primary care of the kura.”

Local MP Dana Kirkpatrick said the draft rule would require variable speed limits outside schools from 8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm on school days.

During these times, the limit would be 30km/h for Category 1 schools and between 40 and 60 for Category 2 schools.

“At all other times, the speed limit will be the posted limit.

“I know the July 1, 2025 deadline for these reversals is a way off, but we are moving at pace, and we are very clear that good faith public consultation must happen.

“And we must make sure NZTA (NZ Transport Agency) and councils have enough time to go around and change all of their signs.

“This means the speed limit reversals cannot happen overnight.

“The deadline for all roads to meet the new variable speed limits outside school gates requirement is December 31, 2027,” she said.

Kirkpatrick said some state highway speed limit reductions could stay the same if there were safety concerns, for example, high winds or hilly sections.

NZTA Waka Kotahi Gisborne spokesman Blair Cunningham said it would identify state highway locations impacted by the rule and advise on the next steps for speed limit changes on the network, including potential locations for speed limit changes in and around Gisborne.

“Until the new rule comes into force later this year, we will continue to review and set speed limits on the state highway network under the current 2022 rule as required, but with appropriate consideration for proposed changes in the draft 2024 rule,” he said.