Waka Kotahi steers away from blanket 80kph plan for Northland, Auckland highways

Tuesday, 17 May 2022

'A lot of us already find 100kph slow': Geoff Upson and his dog George are the faces of an informal campaign to prevent speed limit drops.

New Zealand’s state highway officials have backed away from a region-wide speed limit reduction in Northland, instead proposing to cut speeds in danger areas like around schools.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency opened formal consultation on Tuesday for reduced speeds on 11 state highways in Northland and north Auckland.

Tai Tokerau is the first area in the country to have a region-wide speed review under the agency’s Road to Zero campaign, which aims to cut deaths and serious injuries on New Zealand roads by 40% by 2030.

The speed review covers 11 state highways in Northland and north Auckland, including State Highway 16, where reductions are planned for Kaukapakapa, pictured.

But the agency originally planned to slash all state highway speeds limits, from 100kph to 80kph – a proposal which drew backlash from leaders fearing congestion and impatience on the roads.

**READ MORE:

The proposals include school zones with lower speed limits that kick in at school drop-off and pick-up times. (File photo)

* Northland leaders frustrated at plan to lower speed on state highways to cut crashes

* Northland roading challenges lead to NZ’s first regionwide speed limit reduction proposal

State Highway 1 south of Whangārei has been restricted to 80kph for two years due to roadworks around Loop Rd, but safety improvements are planned. (File photo)

* Lower speed limits on some state highways frustrate locals

The Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency website shows the extent of the 11 state highways in Northland and north Auckland which will have speeds reviewed.

Instead, the proposals released on Tuesday gives details for each highway, with small areas of reduced speed limits, such as around schools or busy towns.

The proposals include variable speed limits at schools – notified with electronic signs – at school drop-off and pick-up times. The variable limits are 30kph at schools where students walk along the road, or 60kph where the main risk is turning vehicles.

Whangārei mayor Sheryl Mai supports speed reductions where there is logic for them – such as around Ruakaka School – but not a blanket speed drop. (File photo)

Northland’s speeds are being addressed first because it is the region with the highest number of road deaths per 100,000 people, said the agency’s director of regional relationships, Steve Mutton.

“We definitely need to do something around this,” he said.

Steve Smith, Northland Chamber of Commerce chief executive, says speed reductions on state highways compromise the national network, and are a sticky plaster for a poor roading network.

The speed changes will put the safety of people – including tamariki – first, Mutton said.

“Our technical review shows a reduction in speed at schools and townships will reduce deaths and serious injuries on these corridors.

“We also know that there is a strong desire within local communities to see lowered speeds in areas where there are school students, and in growing towns and villages with increased road and foot traffic.”

The proposals could see 100kph zones come down to as low as 30kmh around high-danger school areas, but the blanket open-road speed limit will remain. (File photo)

The consultation will also involve collaboration with iwi and hapū on signs to alert drivers to marae.

Whangārei mayor Sheryl Mai said she supported the move away from the blanket 80kph speed limit, which she feared would impact freight and tourists coming into Northland.

She supports lower speeds where there is logic for it, such as around schools or very windy areas where people can’t drive fast.

“Long sections of our roads don’t need to be lower speeds, but in others you can't go fast anyway.”

Mai said she was pleased State Highway 1 south of Whangārei – which was originally to be a four-lane highway before the plan was canned by Government – will get safety measures such as median barriers and wider shoulders so it can remain 100kph.

The only reductions planned for SH1 between Whangārei and Auckland’s Te Hana are around Ruakaka School and at Te Hana township.

But Steve Smith, chief executive of the Northland Chamber of Commerce, said he was still against any speed reductions on state highways, which were essential connections.

“When we talk about our state highways – especially SH1, which is the spinal link of the whole country – I object to any form of obstacle, like traffic lights, roundabouts or speed limits.

“It compromises our national network.”

Smith said the speed reductions were simply covering up the lack of infrastructure in Northland, such as the slated four-lane SH1, which had stunted the region’s economy.

“It’s a Band-Aid covering up the woeful inadequacies of our roading network.”

Geoff Upson, from Auckland’s Kaukapakapa, is also against any reductions on main arterial roads, saying the slower speeds add to people’s travel times and frustrations.

Consultation on the proposal runs until June 14, with any reductions expected to be introduced around the end of the year.

Vehicle speeds will be monitored for a year following any changes, to make sure speed limits are working as intended.

Northland road statistics

In 2021, 32 people died on the region’s roads, including 12 in head-on crashes and eight on rural roads where the car ran off the road.

Of those who died, 43% were in vehicles with a low safety rating (one or two-star) and seven were not wearing a seatbelt.

Across the 700km, 11 state highways which will have their speed reviewed, 172 people were killed and 750 people suffered serious injuries over the last 10 years.