We've developed a Speed Management Plan for the district that aims to make our roads safer and work towards the national road safety strategy Road to Zero.

Localised Speed Management Plans are part of changes to the way we manage speeds throughout New Zealand. Rather than looking at speed limit changes on a street-by-street basis, the draft Speed Management Plan establishes principles for speed management in our district.

What's been done so far

Throughout 2022 we spent a considerable amount of time working with schools/kura and marae to understand their challenges around speed and road safety. 

We've also worked with a range of subject matter experts to understand the issues and opportunities for improvement on our road network (particularly relating to speed). These include:

• Waka Kotahi/New Zealand Transport Agency
• Consultants from Luke McCarthy Consulting
• Council's Roading Engineers
• Council's Planning team

What was proposed

From this feedback we've developed an Interim Speed Management Plan that focuses on lowering speed limits and improving safety infrastructure around schools/kura, marae, town centres and some local roads. 

Changes to speed limits - The Speed Management Plan includes changes to speed limits on a number of local roads - particularly reducing speeds around schools (in line with new national rules) and lowering speeds in our town centres to make them safer for pedestrians.  

View an interactive map of the proposed speed limit changes

It's important to note that this is a ten year plan - we won't be changing these speed limits overnight. The implementation of these changes would start from 2024, initially focusing on schools. 

Safety infrastructure - there's more to safer speeds than just speed limits. The draft Speed Management Plan also identifies a significant number of infrastructure improvements like crossings, islands, road markings, signage and more. 

Like the speed limits, these are improvements we'd look to implement over the next ten years, focussing on schools first. Identifying them as part of this plan will help inform our forward planning - like future budgeting processes, and our funding agreements with Waka Kotahi. 

What you told us

Thank you to all those who took the time to make a submission during the consultation period in March - April 2023. 

Overall we received 69 submissions - you can view them here. We received a clear consensus to move ahead with the overall approach, with a majority of submitters agreeing with the approach to managing speeds outside and around schools, marae and town centres within the district.

23 submitters were in support of Council’s draft SMP, 13 did not support, 24 required changes in order to be able to support, while 8 either weren’t sure or did not select an option. A range of concerns were raised by submitters who required changes about the proposal, a summary of these submissions is available on request.

Hearing

A hearing was held on 3 May 2023 where submitters could choose to present their submission to Council in person. Four people chose to speak on the SMP. Following this, Council asked staff for further information to assist in their deliberations, and deliberations and decision-making was held at a Council meeting on 24 May 2023.

Council Decision

Council resolved at the Council meeting on 24 May 2023 to continue to progress the plan as consulted on.

Interim Speed Management Plan Document 

Find out more about our Speed Management Plan consultation here: https://www.mpdc.govt.nz/component/content/article/105-news-a-events/news-a-have-your-say/4147-speed-management-plans?Itemid=647

You may also be interested in the following documents, which we're also seeking feedback on until 14 April. 

• Local Alcohol Policy
• Solid Waste Minimisation and Management Bylaw
• Policies on the Remission and Postponement of Rates
• 2023/24 Fees and charges