Latest news with #SettingofSpeedLimitsRule2024
Scoop
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- Scoop
‘No Excuse For Speeding': New Limits Aim To Protect School Children
Cars speeding by the school in the Hawke's Bay village of Bridge Pā may not be such a big problem in future. Bridge Pā school principal Vanessa Sadler says cars coming along Maraekākaho Rd are asked to reduced speed from a 100km/h limit only 200m before the school gates. 'It's not much time to slow down and a lot of cars are travelling at more than 50km/h when they get to the school,' Sadler said. But now, about halfway between the 50km/h sign and the school, is a new 30km/h limit. This after Hastings District Council began its early rollout of lower vehicle speed limits outside schools. Hastings District Council Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the early adoption of the lower speed limits reflected the Council's strong commitment to improving safety outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and the wider community. 'We're taking a proactive step to protect our children and show leadership in road safety,' Hazlehurst said. Sadler says she is happy with the move. 'Speeding cars are a problem for us. In fact, sometimes there are police cars waiting in our car park for them. 'We have had many close calls with our tamariki and I've tried numerous times to get a school crossing, but we are on a state highway.' She said the signage was impressive. 'It's very visible. You can't miss them, so there is no excuse for speeding,' Sadler said. Hazlehurst said by rolling out variable speed limits before schedule, the council was ensuring safer journeys to and from school for everyone. The lower vehicle speed limits outside schools align the district with the Government's new Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024. Over the next three months, all schools across Hastings will move to variable speed limits, operating during defined school travel periods during school terms. These periods typically cover 45 minutes before and after school, but up to an hour in areas where multiple schools are located nearby. Bridge Pā, Maraekākaho, Puketapu, Te Pōhue, and Waimārama schools are the first to have the new variable speed limits in place from July 14. The council's goal is to have the school speed limits operating at all Hastings schools by mid-September. The changes apply to both urban and rural schools and adhere to national rules that define school zone extents and classification criteria. Unlike the previous permanent speed zones, the new approach uses variable signs that are only active during designated school travel periods, improving clarity and consistency for drivers. All electronic signs have been purchased, with NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi support. Additional funding has been sought from NZTA to help with the installation of static variable signs.
NZ Herald
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Herald
‘No excuse for speeding': How new speed limits are making Hastings schools safer
It's come after the Hastings District Council began its early rollout of lower vehicle speed limits outside schools. Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the early adoption of the lower speed limits reflected the council's strong commitment to improving safety outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and the wider community. 'We're taking a proactive step to protect our children and show leadership in road safety,' Hazlehurst said. Sadler says she is happy with the move. 'Speeding cars are a problem for us. In fact, sometimes there are police cars waiting in our carpark for them. 'We have had many close calls with our tamariki, and I've tried numerous times to get a school crossing, but we are on a state highway.' She said the signage was impressive. 'It's very visible. You can't miss them, so there is no excuse for speeding,' Sadler said. Hazlehurst said that by rolling out variable speed limits before schedule, the council was ensuring safer journeys to and from school for everyone. The lower vehicle speed limits outside schools align the district with the Government's new Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024. Over the next three months, all schools across Hastings will move to variable speed limits, operating during defined school travel periods during school terms. These periods typically cover 45 minutes before and after school, but up to an hour in areas where multiple schools are nearby. Bridge Pā, Maraekākaho, Puketapu, Te Pōhue, and Waimārama schools are the first to have the new variable speed limits in place from July 14. The council's goal is to have the school speed limits operating at all Hastings schools by mid-September. The changes apply to both urban and rural schools and adhere to national rules that define school zone extents and classification criteria. Unlike the previous permanent speed zones, the new approach uses variable signs that are only active during designated school travel periods, improving clarity and consistency for drivers. All electronic signs have been purchased, with NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi support. Additional funding has been sought from NZTA to help with the installation of static variable signs. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
NZ Herald
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Herald
Speed limit on Napier-Taupō state highway going back to 100km/h
Correction: An initial version of this story suggested the limit would increase on May 22. It will increase on May 29. Maximum speed limits on State Highway 5 between Napier and Taupō will be back to 100km/h next week. The limit had been lowered to 80km/h amid public debate in 2022. NZTA Waka Kotahi has clarified that the higher limit will be reinstated on May 29, between 100m west of the SH5/Waipunga Rd intersection, near Eskdale, and 1km southeast of the SH5/Matea Rd, near Rangitāiki. A spokesperson said the change is being made 'as required by the Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024 which legalises the Government's expectation that speed limits on New Zealand's roads will be managed in a way that supports economic growth, boosts productivity, and enables people to get to where they are going quickly and safely'.
NZ Herald
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Herald
Speed limit on Napier-Taupō state highway going back to 100km/h next week
Maximum speed limits on State Highway 5 between Napier and Taupō will be back to 100km/h next Thursday. The limit had been lowered to 80km/h amid public debate in 2022. NZTA Waka Kotahi announced on Friday that the higher limit will be reinstated between 100m west of the SH5/Waipunga Rd intersection, near Eskdale, and 1km southeast of the SH5/Matea Rd, near Rangitāiki. A spokesperson said the change is being made 'as required by the Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024 which legalises the Government's expectation that speed limits on New Zealand's roads will be managed in a way that supports economic growth, boosts productivity, and enables people to get to where they are going quickly and safely'. Earlier in the year, the NZTA consulted to understand support levels for retaining the 80km/h speed limits through the rural settlements of Tarawera and Te Pōhue, and between Turangakumu and Te Hāroto.
NZ Herald
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Herald
Turihaua Bay residents fear crashes as SH35 speed limit set to rise
On January 29, 2025, the Minister of Transport confirmed that the stretch of state highway was open to community consultation under the Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024 introduced by the Government last year. New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) ran a consultation on it from January 30 to March 13. According to NZTA data, 53% of those who responded were 'strongly opposed' to retaining the current limit, and 6% were 'slightly opposed'. Of the 864 responses, 41% supported keeping the current speed limit of 80km/h. Resident and Turihaua Station co-owner Sarah Williams said a higher speed limit was 'a fatality waiting to happen'. She cited a road with deep dropouts on to the beach, the high use of public access on Turihaua Beach for fishing, diving and swimming, stock trucks, multiple exits to homes and farms, staff on motorbikes and a 'terrible corner'. Williams said more people used the area during the summer camping season from September through April. 'We went through a rigorous consultation process in 2020 to reduce the speed to 80 km/h. For this to be reversed is a huge worry,' she said. 'When the road was 100km/h, we witnessed multiple crashes and had to fix multiple fences and culverts. 'We had to attend to injured people, hurt when vehicles raced around the corner that sweeps on to the Turihaua Bridge. 'There were lots of near misses between vehicles and staff on motorbikes having to access the farm over the bridge.' Employees living in a roadside cottage were forced to move due to overnight noise and vibrations caused by truck engine-braking, Williams said. Since the speed limit had been reduced, they had noticed a significant decrease in noise and crashes and generally felt much safer on the road. 'We used to have a pull-off bay across from the woolshed, but that has since eroded away.' 'We have made multiple requests to NZTA for this to be protected for road safety reasons, and millions have been spent up the road on the rock walls around Turihaua Point. 'Our staff are very conscientious about pulling off the road to let vehicles travelling at full speed pass. Now, with the lack of a pull-off bay combined with faster speeds, we are deeply concerned for their safety. 'Our boys originally used this pull-off bay to board the morning bus to school safely, but since it has fallen into the ocean, we are now forced to use the dangerous corner before the Turihaua Bridge heading south. 'Frequently, vehicles race past the stopped school bus at full speed, despite the law saying 20 km/h. 'With cars oncoming in the north lane, it is only a matter of time before there's a collision.' Multiple requests had been made to NZTA to protect the pull-off bay, she said. Williams said they were now forced to use the dangerous corner before the Turihaua Bridge heading south. 'With cars oncoming in the north lane, it is only a matter of time before there's a collision.' They were grateful to the Go Bus drivers, who pulled right off the road and triple-checked before heading on State Highway 35. Williams said the public reserve and roads of Turihaua Bay had been neglected. 'The river has eroded half the reserve area enjoyed by summer campers, and the road accessing the toilets is now at risk.' Tatapouri was at the heart of Gisborne's tourism, with rental cars and campervans – often driven by visitors unfamiliar with New Zealand roads – frequently heading to the popular spot, she said. Advertise with NZME. 'The length of Makorori Beach is accessed by half of Gisborne year-round. I am baffled at the survey's outcome on the speed limit and by the people who voted for it to return to 100km/h. 'Do they, too, not hold their breath when travelling past dropouts, slips, terribly laid-out intersections and driveways on blind corners?' Williams said a Facebook post in early March about the consultation and the weighting on a number of votes was 'vague'. 'I had the expectation there would be consultation like the robust 2021 process held in the council chambers.' NZTA director of regional relationships Linda Stewart said safety on the state highway network remained a priority. 'We acknowledge there are a range of views on speed from road users and communities.' Stewart said to ensure as many people as possible were aware of the consultation and could have their say, they used various channels to get the message out, including paid advertising and flyer drops to local residents. 'Following implementation of the higher speed limits, we will monitor the safety of state highways,' she said. 'For any full speed review in the future, as we have always done in the past, themes from both the local community and key stakeholders from consultation will be considered, alongside safety and technical data, including a cost-benefit disclosure statement, to help inform decision-making.'
