Consultation opens on speed management plan to slow down
Public consultation is open on an Interim State Highway Speed Management Plan being developed by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, aimed at making New Zealand’s highways safer for everyone who uses them, by slowing everyone down in places.
Changes in speeds are proposed near schools, such as past St Mary’s School in Foxton (from 50km/h to 30) and Poroutawhao School (from 100 to 60) and O¯ piki, Tokomaru, and Shannon Schools (from 50 to 30).
The intersection of SH57 with SH56 will be 60km/h and the stretch of SH57 between Heatherlee East Rd to Shannon will be 90 km/h.
No speed reduction is being proposed for state highways running through built-up areas such as Foxton, Shannon or Levin, apart from where they pass a school.
As part of Road to Zero, New Zealand’s road safety strategy, all road-controlling authorities are adopting a new approach to speed management, Waka Kotahi said.
Waka Kotahi is the roadcontrolling authority for New Zealand’s state highways, while councils and Auckland Transport are the road controlling authorities for local roads.
Vanessa Browne, Waka Kotahi National Manager Programme and Standards, said safety is at the heart of the Interim Speed Management Plan, recognising the diverse ways that people use New Zealand’s state highways.
“Good speed management is a fundamental pillar of the ‘safe system’ approach to road safety, which is recognised internationally as the most effective way to reduce deaths and serious injuries. At the same time as we develop the speed management plan, Waka Kotahi is also delivering large programmes of work as part of Road to Zero to support the other safe system pillars — safer roads and roadsides, safer vehicles and safe road user behaviour.”
During the current three-year National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) funding period, $2.9 billion is being invested in Road to Zero activities to reduce deaths and serious injuries across New Zealand.
This record investment is enabling a range of infrastructure safety improvements such as the installation of life-saving median and roadside barriers, the construction of new roundabouts, intersection safety upgrades and safety improvements to high-risk road corridors, in addition to the introduction of safer speed limits as well as targeted police enforcement of unsafe driving.
Browne said the speed management plans being developed by Waka Kotahi and local authorities will be aligned with the delivery of the infrastructure safety improvements set out in the NLTP.
“The Interim Speed Management Plan represents a new way for us to plan, manage and deliver speed management activities that are better coordinated with the delivery of our other safe system work. The plan we’re currently developing brings together our remaining speedmanagement activities being delivered through the current 2021-24 NLTP, including new speed limits on some sections of state highway, putting in place more intersection speed zones and lowering speeds around many schools and some marae on state highways.
“This is a stepping stone towards the development of three-yearly speed management planning that will also encompass safety infrastructure and the use safety cameras alongside speed management. We are also heading towards an integrated regional approach, with more coordination between Waka Kotahi, regional councils and our local government partners.”
Browne said lowering speeds around schools would make it safer for children to walk, cycle, scoot or bus to school, and lowering speeds around marae would protect wha¯ nau attending hui, tangihanga or events.
“With more people travelling at speeds that are safe and appropriate for the road environment, we will see more inclusive, safer and more people-friendly towns and cities where we can all move around freely, no matter how we choose to travel.”
Public feedback will be considered by Waka Kotahi alongside its own analysis and feedback from partners, interested groups and organisations, as factors to finalise the Interim State Highway Speed Management Plan.
The speed management activities and other safety improvements will be delivered over the following two years until mid-2024, and by the end of 2027 for schools.
Consultation on the interim plan is open for four weeks, from November 14 to December 12, 2022.
For more information: https:/ /www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/Safety/ docs/interim-state-highway-speedmanagement-plan/draft-ismp.pdf