Media Release: Friday 16 August 2019

Reduced speed limits are now in effect for most rural and rural residential roads in Horowhenua after Horowhenua District Council ratified the new speed limits at its meeting on 14 August.

The changes reduce speed limits on most rural roads to 80 kilometres per hour (km/h) and on rural residential and unsealed roads to 60 km/h.

Following further consultation with New Zealand Transport Agency, speed limits on 22 roads for which an 80 km/h speed limit was proposed will have a 60 km/h speed limit to meet NZTA requirements.

While the changes mainly focus on rural areas, some urban roads are also affected, with some 70 km/h speed limit zones in urban fringe areas changed to 50 km/h.

In addition, new variable speed school zones apply around Levin East School and Waiopehu College; Fairfield School; Levin North School; and Levin School and Levin Intermediate. Speed limits on roads around the schools will reduce to 40 kilometres per hour approximately 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after school, and remain at 50 kilometres per hour at other times.

Horowhenua District Council’s Roading Services Manager, Kevin Peel, said drivers should expect to see new speed limit signs being installed during the next two months.

“We encourage drivers to look out for the new signs and reduce speed in line with the new speed limits to make our rural roads safer,” he said.

“These new speed limits more accurately reflect safety risk to road users on our rural roads. They are also more consistent and minimise frequent speed limit changes to avoid driver confusion.”

Mr Peel said the changes follow public engagement between January and March this year, which was carried out as part of a district-wide review of speed limits to enhance safety on rural roads.

“There was a lot of public interest, with 740 participants in our online survey and 98 submissions during formal engagement. The majority of public feedback supported lowering speed limits,” he said.

Council will undertake a review of speed limits of the district’s urban roads this financial year.

The new speed limit schedules, and further information about the speed limit review, are available on Council’s website at www.horowhenua.govt.nz/LandTransportBylaw

ENDS

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