The Government will amend speed limit rules to "stop blanket speed limit reductions", the Transport Minister says.
Minister Simeon Brown announced the change today, reflecting a National Party election promise made on the campaign trail, estimated to cost $30 million.
“Speed limits have been reduced using a blanket approach across many parts of the country under the previous government’s Land Transport Rule, ignoring economic impacts and the views of road users and local communities.
“Our coalition Government wants to see a transport system that boosts productivity and economic growth and allows New Zealanders to get to where they want to go, faster and safer."
Changes made this week remove mandatory requirements for road controlling authorities - such as the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and local councils - to implement speed management plans, he said.
They also removed deadlines for road controlling authorities to submit the plans by March 29 next year.
He said that would allow work to begin on a new rule to ensure that when speed limits were set, economic impacts, including travel times were taken into account.
The views of road users and local communities would also be considered under the new rule, he said, as well as safety.
“The new rule will also implement variable speed limits on roads approaching schools during pick up and drop off times, rather than permanent reductions, to keep young New Zealanders safe when they are arriving at or leaving school.
“I am writing to road controlling authorities throughout the country to notify them of the changes and to advise them that work has begun on the new rule. This allows them to stop work on current speed management plans until the rule is put in place.”
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