Lower speed limits around schools on cards as part of Ruapehu’s speed management plan

"We need the right speeds on the right roads for all users,” Ruapehu District Council’s executive manager of infrastructure Vini Dutra says.

Speed limits in the Ruapehu may be lowered with local schools, kura, and townships collaborating on a draft speed management plan.

A speed management plan, is now a requirement of all road-controlling authorities with the aim to ensure a safe transport system and supporting the sustainability of communities.

“The Speed Management Plan framework takes a whole network approach, where speed management is considered alongside investment in safety infrastructure and is updated and consulted on every three years,” Ruapehu District Council’s executive manager of infrastructure, Vini Dutra, said.

Speed management plans must align with the national road safety strategy, Te Ara Ki Te Ora Road to Zero and Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022, which introduces a number of changes to the way speed limits are established and managed.

“We need everyone who lives, works or plays in Ruapehu to be safe when using our streets and roads. That means we need the right speeds on the right roads for all users,” Dutra said.

The reduction of speed limits around schools as a priority requires road controlling authorities to use best efforts to reduce speed limits around 40 per cent of their schools and kura by 30 June 2024, and 10 per cent by December 31. 2027.

Local speed limit bylaws will also be overrun, with a new consultation process with key stakeholders with Māori as partners and a requirement to focus on reducing speed limits around schools as a priority.

“Council’s road engineering contractor GHD is undertaking a techincal review of the infrastructure and speed limits around Ruapehu schools and kura in line with the new rules to inform the development of a speed management strategy, any proposed speed limit changes and associated maps for consultation.”

The planned timing is for the initial draft speed management plan to go to council in June and if accepted, to go out for community consultation from July to November with adoption in December.

Consultation on the initial draft for the plan will be promoted through council main channels, allowing affected stakeholders to have their views included if desired.

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